Makch 10, 1916] 



SCIENCE 



349 



there being now a swamp to windward; also, 

 as in Florida, there may be outlying keys, or, 

 as at many places, beach ridges, the keys or 

 beach ridges being higher than the swamp and 

 consequently higher than the old beach or 

 sandy expanse from which the dune grew. 



Evidently, such quiescent dunes furnish 

 positive evidence of a rise of sea level. Also, 

 it is clear that this change of sea level must be 

 of Recent or of latest Pleistocene age, the posi- 

 tion of the dividing line between Pleistocene 

 and Eecent time being necessarily a matter of 

 opinion, for the dunes can not be old. Even 

 those of Florida, which indicate a rise of sea 

 level of at least five or six feet at their bases, 

 rest on late Pleistocene marls and limestone. 

 The exact age of the dunes and the exact 

 length of time that has elapsed since they be- 

 came quiescent by the growth of swamps cut- 

 ting off supplies of sand, are alike indeter- 

 minable, but the sharpness of characteristic 

 outlines and the size of the trees on many of 

 them indicate quiescence for hundreds, but 

 not for thousands of years. 



A locality where this relation between 

 swamp growth and dune quiescence may be 

 conveniently observed by many persons is at 

 Ventnor, N. J., on Absecon Island, south of 

 Atlantic City. 



It is believed that the evidence of the dunes 

 mentioned confirms that of shore-lines, beach 

 ridges, and coastal swamps, namely, that the 

 Atlantic coast of the United States has sub- 

 sided, or the sea level has risen, in Recent 

 time, and that the change of sea level is prob- 

 ably still in progress. 



Evidently, also, termination or interruption 

 of growth by a near-by rise of water level is 

 not restricted to dunes along the sea shore, but 

 applies to all dunes. 



S. Sanford 



Washington, D. C, 

 December 20, 1915 



A REPUTED SPECIFIC FOR BLACKWATER 

 FEVER 



I HAVE in my herbarium two curious plants 

 from the interior of Venezuela, which are of 

 special interest because of their chemical 

 properties. They were collected and presented 



to me by Dr. Jesus Maria Pinango at Guanoco, 

 Venezuela. 



The first specimen is used by the natives of 

 eastern Venezuela as a specific for the dreaded 

 blackwater fever. The plant grows in swamps 

 and reaches a height of six feet. It bears 

 ovate, opposite, entire leaves, tapering to a 

 long point. When boiled to use for fever it 

 colors the water rose-pink. 



I should like to invite any reader of Science 

 who is an expert in therapeutics, and would be 

 interested to analyze and test the properties 

 of this plant to communicate with me, and I 

 will gladly send a specimen for this purpose. 

 For if this plant really possesses the medicinal 

 properties ascribed to it, it might be of much 

 value in the treatment of the blackwater 

 fever, which is so fatal in parts of Venezuela 

 and still more prevalent and deadly in tropical 

 Africa. 



The other specimen is a very powerful 

 narcotic. It is called by the Guarauno Indians 

 Charapu; and is used by them for poisoning 

 fish in the following manner. A quantity of , 

 the leaves are gathered and pounded down into 

 a small hole in the ground so as to form a ball. 

 This is then dried. On going fishing in a 

 river or stream, one man takes this ball of 

 leaves, dips it in the water and rubs it in his 

 hands like a cake of soap. The rest of the 

 party, with scoops and baskets, stand a short 

 distance down stream. Almost immediately 

 the fish become locoed, rise to the surface, 

 swim wildly in circles, then become insensible, 

 and are easily secured and gathered into the 

 baskets, so powerful is the narcotic principle 

 of the Charapu. 



Oarlotta Joaquina Mauey 



university registration statistics 

 To THE Editor op Science: In the case of 

 Washington University, the comparison of the 

 University Registration statistics published in 

 Science, January 21, 1916, with those pub- 

 lished for the year preceding, shows a loss in 

 the total number of students in that institu- 

 tion. Actually, Washington University had 

 an increase; 1Y4 in the degree conferring 

 departments alone. This apparent loss is due 

 to a change in the classification of a certain 



