832 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XIX. No. 491. 



greenish yellow color of the conjunctiva, 

 mucous membranes and skin appeared much 

 later than in the control animal. Both re- 

 sults might be due to delayed absoriJtion or 

 delayed transudation, or to both. In further 

 studies with subcutaneous injections of 

 fluorescein it was found that the color entered 

 the blood later, and in diminished quantity, 

 in the adrenalin animal than in the control. 

 Among other observations, it was noted that 

 the kidneys of the control animal were more 

 intensely colored than those of the adrenalin 

 animal. The same difference was found when 

 equal quantities of the stain were injected 

 directly into the blood stream. The lesser 

 coloration of the kidney is therefore due to the 

 diminished elimination by the kidneys in the 

 adrenalin-animal. Other related problems are 

 still under consideration. But the reported 

 series of experiments already justify the con- 

 clusions that suprarenal extract delays absorp- 

 tion as well as elimination. 



The starting point for the investigation was 

 the hypothesis, stated by Dr. Meltzer in an- 

 other piiblication, that since capillary endo- 

 thelia possess irritability and contractility, 

 their pores are surrounded by rings of con- 

 tractile protoplasm which act like sphincters 

 upon them, thus increasing and decreasing the 

 permeability of the endothelia. The explana- 

 tion for the observed facts is now offered that 

 suprarenal extract, which causes contraction 

 of the smooth muscle fibers of the arterioles, 

 causes, also, an increase of the contractility of 

 the endothelia, diminishing thereby their 

 permeability and thus reducing their powers 

 of absorption and elimination. 

 Mendel's Law. E. B. Wilson. 



A review of the more important facts in 

 Mendel's observations, together with a state- 

 ment of some of the deductions to be drawn 

 from them. 



William J. Gies, 



Secretary. 



SCIENCE CLUB, UNIVERSITY OP WISCONSIN. 



The seventh meeting of the club for the 

 , year 1903-04 was held in the physical lecture 

 room of Science Hall, April 26. 



The first paper, by IST. M. Fenneman, on 



' The Arapahoe Glacier in Colorado ' was a 

 description of some recent explorations by the 

 author and investigation of the character of 

 the Arapahoe Glacier. This glacier lies about 

 twenty miles west of Boulder, Colorado, and 

 is about a half mile long and about a half 

 mile wide. It has been only recently that the 

 glacier has been studied scientifically. The 

 glacier follows the type of the North Amer- 

 ican glaciers. 



The second paper, by W. D. Frost, on ' The 

 Antagonism of Certain Saprophytic Bacteria 

 against the Typhoid Bacillus ' developed the 

 facts that four very common bacteria produce 

 substances that kill the typhoid germ; that 

 these substances are heat stable but that their 

 efficiency varies directly as the temperature; 

 and that they are alkaline and are neutralized 

 by acids. Mr. Frost's experiments have shown 

 that at the temperature of the ice-chest these 

 substances do not kill the typhoid germs and 

 hence is explained the prevalence of the most 

 severe epidemics of typhoid in winter. 



After the foregoing papers were read and 

 discussed the club proceeded to elect the fol- 

 lowing ofiicers for 1904-5 : 



President — H. L. Russell. 

 Vice-President — A. Trowbridge. 

 Secretary-Treasurer — F. W. Woll. 



Victor Lenher, 



Secretary. 



DISCUSSION AND CORRESPONDENCE. 



SHALL WE HAVE TWO GRADES OF COLLEGE 



PliYSICS ? 



The writer has examined about twenty cata- 

 logues of institutions where technical courses 

 in engineering exist side by side with courses 

 which may be termed general or cultural. Of 

 these only five made any distinction in the man- 

 ner in which the subject of physics was pre- 

 sented to students in their various depart- 

 ments. Doubtless a more extended investi- 

 gation of the subject would reveal others, but 

 it is probable that the ratio would not be 

 greatly changed. 



I wish in this note to raise the question 

 whether it is not wise to give two courses in 

 general physics in such institutions as have 

 been referred to, the one being adapted to en- 



