June 26, 1908] 



SCIENCE 



973 



I should very much like to see the new college, 

 but at my advanced age I can not hope to be able 

 to do so. 



I recall with pleasure and interest my connec- 

 tions with the old institution and send heartiest 

 good wishes to the new. 



With kindest regards, I am, 



Very sincerely yours, 



(Signed) Wolcott Gibbs 



Prof. Charles Baskerville. 



In unveiling the portrait of Professor 

 Wolcott Gibbs, Professor Baskerville said : 



Handsome bronze doors will soon grace 

 the main west entrance of the eapitol 

 in Washington. On one of the eight 

 panels, four being on each side of the 

 door, is a scene depicting science. On the 

 sides of this panel are two figures, one of 

 Joseph Henry, the physicist, and the other 

 is Oliver Wolcott Gibbs, the chemist, and 

 founder of the Union League Club of New 

 York. There he stands, a model to all 

 Americans, as a scientist and a citizen, 

 and here we have his memory and likeness 

 as a constant inspiration and a stimulus to 

 those who follow in our footsteps. 



Addressing the audience. Professor Bas- 

 kerville continued: 



We know from the press that there is 

 a three days' gubernatorial picnic in 

 progress at Washington. This is an un- 

 usual proceeding, but our distinguished 

 president in establishing this precedent has 

 displayed unusual common sense. This 

 conference looking toward the conservation 

 of our natural resources is not to become 

 a mere speech-fest, but is intended to be 

 really productive. To insure that, Mr. 

 Eoosevelt has commanded the presidents of 

 the various scientific organizations of our 

 country to be present. For that reason, 

 and solely for that reason, we are deprived 

 of the pleasant and happy company of 

 Dr. Ira Remsen, of the class of 1865, 

 president of Johns Hopkins University, 

 and president of the National Academy of 



Sciences. President Remsen, however, has 

 written of his keen regret in being absent, 

 and has forwarded his address on "Some 

 Changes in Chemistry in Fifty Years," 

 which will be presented by my colleague, 

 Professor Herbert R. Moody. 



SOME CHANGES IN CHEMISTRY IN FIFTY 

 YEARS 



What changes have taken place in chem- 

 istry since this college was founded? It 

 would be a bold and foolish man who would 

 attempt to answer this question in fifteen 

 minutes. As the writer does not claim to 

 be especially bold and does not wish to be 

 regarded as especially foolish, he wiU not 

 make the attempt, but wiU confine himself 

 to a few refiections of a general character, 

 to some extent in keeping with this occa- 

 sion. 



First, it may be of interest to note that 

 I had the pleasure of hearing the lectures 

 of Professor Wolcott Gibbs in the years 

 1861-2. At that time there was no labo- 

 ratory for students. We did not have even 

 a text-book wherewith to cram. Once a 

 week, as nearly as I can remember, Pro- 

 fessor Gibbs gave us a lecture and showed 

 us a few specimens. In another place I 

 have recorded the interesting fact that all 

 that I can now remember of that course of 

 lectures is the word " sesquioxide. " That 

 stands out in bold relief. It is a great 

 satisfaction to me to recall the fact that 

 I had the opportunity to come in contact, 

 though not in close contact, with Professor 

 Gibbs at that early period. In later years 

 we became intimate friends and have often 

 talked over these early efforts. There were 

 rumors then among the boys that he was 

 a man of wide reputation. One of the 

 older boys to whom I looked up said to 

 me one day, "Dr. Gibbs is a remarkable 

 man. He would be recognized as such by 

 all the world if he would only publish his 

 results. ' ' Well, that boy did not, of course. 



