January 25, 1907] 



SCIENCE 



141 



order, organization has done its invaluable 

 service for them, and the result is that 

 every worker knows his felloAvs, each knows 

 where to turn for advice and sympathy; 

 each member, no matter how remotely 

 placed or how depressing his immediate 

 environment, has the courage and enthu- 

 siasm in his work which comes from being 

 connected with those who have the pro- 

 found conviction that their branch is one 

 of prime importance and dignity. 



"I believe in special societies for spe- 

 cialists and I have no fear of the so-called 

 narrowing influence of specialization. I 

 feel rather that any possible danger in that 

 direction is more than offset by the stimu- 

 lus to go deeply into our subject which 

 comes from association with those of like 

 interests. Chemistry, the fundamental sci- 

 ence that must always guide our work, 

 offers unlimited opportunity for broaden- 

 ing the mind. 



"It is my firm conviction that a national 

 society of biological chemists should be or- 

 ganized at once. There are in this coun- 

 try, as near as I can ascertain, about one 

 hundred active workers in this field, using 

 the term in its widest sense. A very small 

 minority of those with whom I have cor- 

 responded are undecided as to the wisdom 

 of forming such a society, but are willing 

 to accept the action of the majority. Some 

 of these, again, have raised the question as 

 to the advisability of asking the Physio- 

 logical Society to give us a separate chem- 

 ical section. 



' ' Many of us have given careful thought 

 to this proposition, but have decided that 

 it will be best to have an independent or- 

 ganization. I have already outlined some 

 of the advantages that would follow on 

 organization, and I can only repeat that I 

 believe these advantages would be greater 

 if in name and fact the organization is in- 

 dependent. I believe that we can have a 

 society on broader lines than is possible to 



a mere section. We wish to draw into our 

 society the biological chemists of all depart- 

 ments of biology including those organic 

 and physical chemists who take a lively in- 

 terest in our subject, but who would per- 

 haps not care to join a physiological so- 

 . ciety. In fact, since a large number of our 

 proposed membership are primarily chem- 

 ists rather than physiologists, we should be 

 marching under a wrong banner, no matter 

 how great the freedom granted by the 

 parent society. 



"This desire for, or prejudice, if you 

 will, in favor of, entire independence in 

 name and action, would equally forbid our 

 organization as a section under the Ameri- 

 can Chemical Society. While recognizing 

 that the various branches of science are 

 mutually dependent and constantly receiv- 

 ing help from each other we still contend 

 that special devotion in each individual 

 branch alone insures success. In other 

 words, we should stand for independence 

 with interdependence." 



At the conclusion of Professor Abel's 

 remarks, which were warmly applauded, 

 general discussion ensued. Hearty ap- 

 proval of his proposal was evidenced, and 

 it was agreed to organize at once the society 

 that Professor Abel suggested. The under- 

 signed thereupon proposed a few written 

 articles of agreement on which a permanent 

 organization could be based. These arti- 

 cles of agreement were adopted and will 

 govern the society until the formal ratifica- 

 tion of constitution. 



On motion by Professor Abel, Professor 

 Chittenden was elected president of the 

 society. In accepting the presidency, Pro- 

 fessor Chittenden expressed appreciation 

 of the reasons which led to the establish- 

 ment of the society, and declared his hearty 

 interest in its future growth and success. 



The following council and ofiSeers were 

 elected: John J. Abel {vice-president), R. 

 H. Chittenden {president), Otto Polin,. 



