June 3, 1910] 



SCIENCE 



855 



tributions of Secretary Langley. He tells of 

 the publication of his " Experiments in Aero- 

 dynamics " in 1891 and then of his further 

 technical contribution on " The Internal 

 Work of the Wind" in 1898. Very briefly 

 is the story told of Langley's two flights with 

 heavier-than-air machines. 



Some time ago an International Commis- 

 sion for the study of the effect of high altitude 

 and solar radiation on medical and biological 

 conditions was constituted, and Professor 

 Pannwitz, of Charlottenburg was appointed 

 president. We learn from the British Medical 

 Journal that the commission has selected the 

 Peak of Teneriffe as the site of its investiga- 

 tions. In view of the favorable conditions 

 obtaining in the Canary Islands, and espe- 

 cially at the spot chosen, it was felt that it 

 would be wise to study meteorological and 

 astronomical as well as biological and medical 

 problems. Professor Hergesell, the president 

 of the international commission for scientific 

 aerology, joined in the project, and when the 

 observatory on the Peak of Teneriffe was 

 opened, the German emperor presented the 

 commission with a transportable house. On 

 March 12 Professor Pannwitz started from 

 Southampton with the members of the expedi- 

 tion, including Professor Barcroft and Dr. 

 Douglas, of Cambridge, Professor Zuntz, of 

 Berlin, and Dr. Neuberg, Dr. J. Mascat, Dr. 

 Plasse (France), and Professor During and 

 Professor H. von Schrotter, of Austria. The 

 program includes the study of the effect of 

 solar radiation (heliotherapy) in the treat- 

 ment of pathological conditions; the continua- 

 tion of the researches on biological processes 

 at high altitudes, commenced by Professor 

 Zuntz on Mont Eosa; and further observation 

 of Halley's comet. A certain amount of pre- 

 liminary work in meteorology has already been 

 undertaken by Professor Hergesell and his 

 assistants, and in this work the Prince of 

 Monaco has materially assisted by lending his 

 yacht, and by supporting the observatory in 

 many ways. The Peak of Teneriffe offers 

 special advantages for astronomical observa- 

 tions. The clear atmosphere at the peak, 

 which is situated well above the cloud line and 



stands some 7,000 feet above the sea, renders 

 the observatory a suitable place for studying 

 the comet. The Spanish government has 

 shown its interest by undertaking to extend 

 the observatory, and has provided it with tele- 

 graphic communication. 



Plans have been adopted for the conduct 

 of the Phipps Institute, now a department of 

 the University of Pennsylvania, which we 

 quote from the Journal of the American 

 Medical Association. The work has been 

 planned by a committee of physicians, com- 

 prising Drs. John H. Musser, David L. Ed- 

 sall, Alexander C. Abbott and Charles H. 

 Frazier. As soon as possible the new build- 

 ing will be erected at Seventh and Lombard 

 Streets, the site first bought by Mr. Henry 

 Phipps, and architects are now at work on the 

 plans and specifications. It will be the most 

 complete hospital for the treatment of con- 

 sumptive patients in the United States. The 

 trustees have elected the following men to 

 direct the work of the institution : Director 

 of the laboratory. Dr. Paul Lewis; director of 

 the clinical department,- Dr. Henry E. M. 

 Landis, and director of the sociologic depart- 

 ment, Alexander Wilson, who will be superin- 

 tendent of the institute and with the director 

 tor of the laboratory will devote all his time 

 to the work. It has been decided to appropri- 

 ate $5,000 for the maintenance in the labora- 

 tory work the first year and $1,800 for the 

 clinical department. For the sociologic de- 

 partment the first appropriations will include 

 $500 for an assistant to the superintendent; 

 $2,300 for out-patient nurses; $1,200 for edu- 

 cational work, and $3,900 for emergency and 

 special expenses. The institute will be gov- 

 erned by a board of directors composed of 

 eight members, of which Provost C. C. Harri- 

 son, of the university, will be president ex- 

 officio. The other members included the three 

 heads of the institute and the following: Dr. 

 John H. Musser, for medical council; Dr. 

 Eobert G. LeConte, of the board of trustees; 

 George E. Gordon, representing the donor, 

 and Dr. Charles J. Hatfield, of the Pennsyl- 

 vania Society for the Prevention of Tubercu- 

 losis. Members of the advisory council, who 



