Apeh 10, 1896.] 



SCIENCE. 



555 



It is conferred, in this case, for services to sci- 

 ence. Dr. Holden had previously received the 

 decoration of Commander of the Ernestine Or- 

 der of Saxony (founded in 1690) on the same 

 grounds. 



The Presidency of the Royal College of Phy- 

 sicians of London, regarded as the highest 

 honor that can be conferred on a British phy- 

 sician, will probably be filled by the election of 

 Dr. Wilkes, who in the election of 1893 stood 

 next to the ballot of Sir J. Russell Reynolds, 

 the retiring President. 



The Committee on Agriculture of the House 

 of Representatives has reported favorably the 

 bill creating a special commission on highways, 

 to consist of the Chief of Engineers of the Army, 

 the Director of the Geological Survey, and the 

 Chief of Road Inquiry of the Department of Ag- 

 riculture. The Commission is to consider, 

 among other things, the best methods for the 

 scientific location of highways on the public do- 

 main ; the employment of the Geological Sur- 

 vey in the discovery of road materials ; the free 

 testing of all road materials offered ; the con- 

 struction of model roads, and instruction in 

 road-making at agricultural colleges and ex- 

 perimental stations. 



The admirable article by Prof. William 

 James, of Harvard University, on ' Is Life 

 Worth Living ? ' in the October International 

 Journal of Ethics, has been republished in book 

 form by S. Burns Weston, Philadelphia. 



D. Appleton & Co. announce for publication 

 a work by Prof. John Trowbridge, of Harvard 

 University, entitled ' What is Electricity ? ' 



The third International Congress of Derma- 

 tology will be held in London from August 4th 

 to 8th inclusive, under the Presidency of Mr. 

 Jonathan Hutchinson. 



A series of lectures has been arranged to be 

 given at Berlin by professors of the University 

 during the holidays for schoolmasters and 

 teachers. The course will include lectures on 

 the X-rays by Prof Goldstein, on the nervous 

 system by Prof. Waldeyer, on metabolism by 

 Prof. Zunz, etc. 



We learn from the British Medical Journal 

 that a committee has been formed in Berlin for 

 the celebration of the Jenner centenary on May 



14th. Among the members are Prof. Virchow, 

 Prof. R. Koch, Prof, von Ley den. Prof, von 

 Bergmann, Prof. Gerhard, Prof. Konig and 

 others. The program includes an exhibi- 

 tion of portraits, medals, old and new instru- 

 'ments, writings, etc., bearing upon Jenner's 

 great discovery, and also a festive gathering on 

 the day itself, intended not only ' to honor the 

 benefactor of the universe, ' but to protest against 

 the an ti- vaccination agitation which is con- 

 stantly going on. 



The Committee on Agriculture of the Massa- 

 chusetts Legislature has not yet been able to 

 come to an agreement in regard to the appro- 

 priation for the Gypsy Moth Commission. It 

 is understood that four members of the com- 

 mittee favor an appropriation of $200,000, four 

 $100,000 and three $50,000. 



The steam yatch Blencathra will carry an ex- 

 cursion party to the arctic regions next sum- 

 mer, visiting Iceland, Greenland and Hudson's 

 Bay. 



Peof. James F. Kemp, Columbia University, 

 has consented to become one of the editors of 

 the Zeiischrift fur Praktische Geologic. 



Prof. J. B. Cummings, since 1856. professor 

 of science in Westminster College, died on 

 March 31st. 



Prof. B. F. Tweed, from 1855 to 1864 pro- 

 fessor of rhetoric and logic in Tuft's College, 

 and later supervisor of schools in Boston, died 

 on April 2d, at the age of eighty-five. 



The anatomist. Dr. P. C. Sappey, died on 

 March 14th, at the age of 86. He was the 

 author of importaiit researches on the respira- 

 tory apparatus of birds, on the lymphatics and 

 on other subjects, but is best known for his 

 great work on ' Descriptive Anatomy,' which 

 was begun in 1847 and completed in 1863. 



Having completed his report on the asphalts 

 and other mineral resources of the Uncompahgre 

 Indian Reservation and vicinity in Utah, 

 based on investigations made last fall at the in- 

 stance of the Secretary of the Interior, Mr. 

 Geo. H. Eldridge, of the U. S. Geological Sur- 

 vey, has resumed geologic work in Florida and 

 neighboring States, with reference more especi- 

 ally to the phosphate deposits of the region. 



