698 



SCIENCE, 



[N. S. Vol. XV. No. 383. 



reduction of the usually present ferment- 

 like 'complement' of Ehrlich and Morgen- 

 roth, a body regarded by those authors as 

 essential to the mechanism of vital resist- 

 ance to infection. 



Professor J. C. Wilson, in a paper on 

 'Osteitis deformans,' communicated some 

 facts in regard to this rare disease which 

 was first described by Paget in 1877. He 

 thought it might be due to (1) infection 

 by some organism to the action of which 

 bone tissue is especially liable, or (2) to 

 the default of some physiological principle 

 which normally regulates and limits the 

 growth of bone. Either of these views 

 may serve as a working hypothesis for in- 

 vestigations into the causes of the dis- 

 ease. 



Professor Lewis M. Hauft, of Phila- 

 delphia, a member of the Isthmian Canal 

 Commission, presented a paper, fully illus- 

 trated by lantern slides, on the proposed 

 'Isthmian Canals.' 



Professor M. D. Learned, of Philadel- 

 phia; presented the final paper of the 

 meeting on 'Race Elements in American 

 Civilization and an Ethnographical Sur- 

 vey of the Country.' This paper pre- 

 sented in condensed form the impor- 

 tance of a thorough investigation of the 

 race elements in our American life and 

 institutions, with illustrations from the 

 influence of the German element upon 

 American agriculture, industry, trades, 

 commerce and particularly upon our edu- 

 cational and scientific methods, our social 

 and economical life and our art and litera- 

 ture. 



The plan of an ' Ethnographical Survey ' 

 has already assumed practical form, and an 

 expedition is being equipped for the com- 

 ing vacation. The work will furnish data of 

 wide range, on the survivals of early Ger- 

 man culture, the architecture, geographical 

 distribution, migration of early settlers 

 and the present economic, sociological, in- 



dustrial and other cultural conditions of the 

 German element. 



The social features of the meeting were 

 most enjoyable. Luncheon was furnished 

 at the haU of the Society on Thursday and 

 Friday and many opportunities were af- 

 forded for making and renewing acquaint- 

 ances. On Thursday evening a largely 

 attended reception was given in honor of 

 the members of the Society at the Univer- 

 sity of Pennsylvania. On Friday evening 

 the visiting members were the guests of the 

 resident members at dinner at the Hotel 

 Bellevue on which occasion one hundred 

 and eighteen members were present. At 

 the close of the dinner Professor W. B. 

 Scott, acting as toastmaster, introduced in 

 happy vein the persons named below, who 

 responded ably and delightfully to the fol- 

 lowing toasts: 'The Memory of our 

 I'ounder,' Mr. Samuel Dickson; 'Our Sis- 

 ter Societies,' Professors Edward S. Morse 

 and J. McKeen Cattell ; ' Our Universities, ' 

 President Francis L. Patton and President 

 Ira Remsen; 'The Future of Science,' Dr. 

 Wm. Osier; 'Our Guests,' Professor H. 

 Morse Stephens. 



At the close of his remarks Professor 

 Stephens proposed a toast to 'The Health 

 and Continued Prosperity of the American 

 Philosophical Society, ' in which all present 

 joined. 



OUR SISTER societies.* 



I realize the honor of being asked to 

 respond for the National Academy of 

 Sciences to the toast 'Our Sister Societies.' 

 In a sense the National Academy of 

 Sciences may be considered more intimately 

 related than a sister, for on its organization 

 and incorporation by the National Govern- 

 ment in 1863 we find among its fifty mem- 

 bers forming the corporate body the 

 largest number from any one place were 



* Speech at the dinner on the occasion of the 

 recent general meeting of the American Philo- 

 sophical Society. 



