SCIENCE 



Friday, November 11, 1910 

 coyfENTS 



The Xcw York Section of the American Chem- 

 ical Society:- — 

 The Position of the Chemist in the Com- 

 monwealth; International Congresses: Peo- 

 FESSOE Chakles Baskeevelle 649 



William James 659 



Scientific Xotes and News 660 



University and Educational News 662 



Discussion and Correspondence: — 



The Locus of a Moving Point when the 

 Quotient of its Distances from the two 

 Fi<ced Points is Constant: Pbofessob V. 

 Kabapetoff 663 



Quotatiojis : — 



The Doctor and the Public 664 



Scientifio Books : — 



Cajori's History of tlie Logarithmic Slide 

 Rule and Allied Instruments: Pbofessob 

 L. C. Kabplnski. Wayn£ on the Birds of 

 South Carolina: J. A. A 666 



Botanical Notes: — 



Books on Mosses; The Cray Centenary; 

 The Number of Enoit?n Species of Plants; 

 Bow to Teach Botany: Pbofessob Charles 

 E. Bessey 669 



Special Articles: — 



A Further Statistical Study of American 

 Men of Science: Pbofessob J. McKeen 

 Catteix 672 



MSS. intcoded for publication and books, etc., intended for 

 WTiew should be se::t to th« Editor of Sciejtce, Garrison-on- 

 HudsoB. N. Y. 



THE POSITION OP THE CHEMIST IN THE 

 COMMONWEALTH ' 



The honor conferred upon the chairman 

 by his associates carries with it a responsi- 

 bility" that is not to be regarded lightly. 

 Aside from the duties, which are well de- 

 fined, of looking after the welfare of the 

 section, presiding over its meetings, which 

 are to be made as interesting, attractive 

 and instructive as possible, the responsi- 

 bility presents an opportunity. The pres- 

 ent chairman of this, the first section of the 

 society to be organized, and the largest, a 

 section containing over ten per cent, of the 

 entire membership and twice as many 

 members as the parent society claimed 

 when he first began enjoying its influence 

 and privileges, welcomes the opportunity 

 with pleasure. I shall give the section my 

 best service. 



Among other things my conception of the 

 office of chairman calls for a frank presen- 

 tation of such problems, general or local, 

 which appear needful of solution and may 

 be best solved by democratic discussion. 

 Every member of the society should give 

 those matters which have to do with the 

 society's interests the most careful con- 

 sideration and such subjects should be 

 thoroughly discussed by every section that 

 the course followed by its councilors may 

 be in a measure representative of that sec- 

 tion's opinion. I furthermore feel that 

 members of the council from sections 

 should give an accounting of their service 

 that the section may decide if it wishes to 



' Address of the chairman of the New York 

 Section of tne American Chemical Society, de- 

 livered October 7, 1910. 



