June 24, 1910] 



SCIENCE 



983 



course will feel more interest to continue 

 study and will accomplish more and better 

 work in later courses. 



Michael D. Sohon 

 MoBEis High School, 

 New York, N. Y. 



THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION"^ 

 The St. Louis session of the American Med- 

 ical Association was an unqualified success. 

 From the scientific point of view, and from 

 the effect in the promotion of a closer and 

 more harmonious organization of the profes- 

 sion, as well as of social interest, little more 

 could have been desired. The registration 

 was a little over four thousand, a number 

 exceeded only twice — at Boston and at 

 Chicago. 



In the scientific interest and in the earnest- 

 ness and fulness of the discussions on the 

 topics presented the section meetings equaled 

 or surpassed those of any previous session. 

 Every section had profitable meetings and the 

 attendance in each was good. Especially 

 notable were the symposiums in the Section 

 on Preventive Medicine and Public Health 

 on hookworm, pellagra and typhoid fever, and 

 in the Section on Pathology and Physiology 

 on cancer — subjects which, aside from their 

 interest to the profession, have particular in- 

 terest for the public, because of the wide- 

 spread morbidity and mortality which they 

 cause, especially in the instances of typhoid 

 fever and cancer. Indeed, it is interesting to 

 note the many points at which the papers 

 throughout the whole program of this session 

 touched the public directly in the matter of 

 hygiene, sanitation and prevention. It is a 

 reflection of the wide-spread interest of the 

 public in what is being done in medicine. In 

 many respects the Section on Preventive 

 Medicine was the most interesting of the 

 session. Cancer, with its frightful mortality 

 and increasing prevalence, was probably the 

 most prominent subject of the session, being 

 considered in one or more of its aspects in 

 almost every section, far outshadowing tu- 



^ From the Journal of the Association. 



berculosis in this respect. In some of the 

 other sections symposiums on diabetes, the 

 infectious diseases and eclampsia, with the 

 discussions, served to clear the atmosphere 

 about many mooted questions. There were 

 many other interesting features of the scien- 

 tific program, but space forbids further men- 

 tion of them here. 



The meetings of the house of delegates were 

 harmonious throughout. Each succeeding 

 year the reference committees are doing more 

 and more work, making it possible to investi- 

 gate thoroughly all the various propositions 

 that come before the house; and thus the 

 house is able to accomplish much more, and 

 to do the work in a deliberate, satisfactory 

 manner. Of the important things done by the 

 house of delegates, one was the creation of a 

 new Section on Genito-urinary Diseases, as 

 petitioned for by many members doing work 

 in that line. Another was the creation of the 

 Council on Health and Public Instruction, 

 which is to have charge of the work formerly 

 done by several overlapping committees, cover- 

 ing such matters as preventive medicine, med- 

 ical legislation, economics, public instruction 

 in medical, sanitary and hygienic questions, 

 etc. The council will organize complete ma- 

 chinery to facilitate the attainment of these 

 objects. 



Any impression that there was the slightest 

 lack of harmony in the organization was dis- 

 pelled by the work of the house of delegates 

 and by the spirit shown in the daily work; 

 and any attempted disparagement of the aims 

 and purposes of the American Medical Asso- 

 ciation was silenced by the splendid statement 

 of them contained in the address of President 

 Welch at the general meeting. That the pub- 

 lic correctly understands these aims and en- 

 dorses them was evinced in the admirable 

 address of Governor Hadley and the other 

 gentlemen who spoke at the general meeting. 



THE ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY OF 

 DENISON UNIVERSITY 



At Denison University, Granville, Ohio, the 

 new astronomical observatory, presented by 

 Mr. Ambrose Swasey, of Cleveland, was opened 



