January 5, 1894.] 
BALTIMORE MEETING OF THE AMERICAN 
CHEMICAL SOCIETY. 
BY CHARLES PLATT. 
Arrer a rather dark period in its history, the American 
Chemical Society has now attained a firm footing, and has 
become what it has ever aimed to be, a truly national re- 
presentation of American chemists. The summer meeting 
in Chicago and the recent Baltimore meeting have been 
extraordinarily successful, not only in papers presented, 
which are, after all, very secondary attractions, but more 
particularly in the establishment of those feelings of good 
fellowship and esteem which can only be born of personal 
acquaintance. During the last meeting this sentiment 
was expressed many times, and there was a universal feel- 
ing of congratulation and good-will, which made the 
meeting extremely satisfactory. The general verdict 
seemed to be that the time allotted was too short, and 
that a programme extending over three or four days, in- 
stead of the two provided by custom, would have been 
more suitable. The meeting convened Dee. 27, 1893, in 
the lecture-room of the chemical department of Johns 
Hopkins University, with President H. W. Wiley in the 
chair. President D. C. Gilman welcomed the society to 
the University, and Prof. Ira Remsen performed the same 
office in behalf of the chemical department. In response, 
President Wiley returned thanks for the society for the 
welcome so kindly extended, and, continuing, spoke of 
the remarkable growth of the society during the past 
year, its field in America, and the increasing need of such 
a bond of union as is provided. Professor Wiley tnen 
opened the business of the meeting with his presidential 
address on “The Relations of Agricultural Chemistry to 
the Waste and Recovery of Plant Food.” Other papers 
on the programme, read in person or by title, were as 
follows: ‘“‘The Widespread Occurrence of Barium and 
Strontium in Silicate Rocks,’ W. F. Hillebrand; “The 
Estimate of Small Amounts of Barium and Strontium in 
Silicate Analysis,’ W. F. Hillebrand; “A Plea for 
Greater Completeness in Chemical Rock Analysis,’ W. F. 
Hillebrand; “A Study of the Distribution of the Oleo- 
resins in the ‘Pinus Palustris,” Omar Carr; ‘Salicylic 
Acid in Food,” K. P. McElroy; “Utilization or Garbage,” 
Bruno Terne; “Report on the Determination of Atomic 
Weights Published during 1893,” F. W. Clarke; “The 
Detection of Strychnine in an Hxhumed Human Body,” 
W. D. Noyes; ‘“‘The Importance of the Study of Bio- 
chemistry,’ H. A. de Schweinitz; “Upon Uniformity in 
Sampling and Assaying Copper Bullion,” G. W. Lehmann; 
“The Preservation and Arrangement of Chemical Ab- 
stracts,’ Thomas M. Chatard; “Notes on the Electro- 
Metallurgy of Zinc,’ Charles Platt; “The Phenyl-hydra- 
zen Test for Glucose in Urine,’ C. KH. Pellew; “Expert 
Testimony,’ W. P. Mason; “A Description of the Boric 
Acid Springs in Tuscany,” W. P. Mason; “Phosphorus in 
Steel,” C. B. Dudley; “Determination of Phosphorus by 
the Molybdate Method in the Presence of Arsenic in 
Iron, Steel and Ores,” J. O. Handy; “The Analysis of 
Malt,” J. A. Miller. 
Other papers not on the programme were presented, 
among them one by Dr. Thomas Taylor, of Washington, 
and another by Prof. G. F. Baker, of Philadelphia, who 
read a memorial to the late T. Sterry Hunt. 
In the afternoon the society accepted the invitation of 
the Baltimore Copper Smelting and Rolling Company, 
and several profitable hours were spent examining the 
details of refining at these representative works. A com- 
plimentary banquet was enjoyed at the Eutaw House in 
the evening. On the second day the reading of the 
papers was continued and the annual business of the so- 
. 
SCIENCE. 
II 
ciety transacted. The officers elected for the ensuing 
year are: President, H. W. Wiley; General Secretary, 
Albert C. Hale; Treasurer, C. F. McKenna (resigned); 
Librarian, F. I. Dodge; Directors—C. I’. Chandler, P. T. 
Austen, C. A. Doremus, H. C. Bolton; Council—C. B. Dud- 
ley, C. HE. Munroe, Wm. McMurtrie, J. H. Appleton. The 
meeting was brought to a close with a delightful excur- 
sion down the river to Sparrows Point, where the works of 
the Maryland Steel Company were thoroughly inspected. 
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 
x Correspondents are requested to be as brief as possible. 
writer’s name is in all cases required as a proof of good faith. 
On request in advance, one hundred copies of the number con- 
taining his communication will be furnished free to any corres- 
pondent. 
The editor will be glad to publish any queries consonant with 
the character of the journal. 
Do EARTH WorMS RAIN DOWN ? 
Tux old-time notion that earth worms, frogs, fish, etc., 
“rain down” is now seldom mentioned by intelligent peo- 
ple except in the way of ridicule. The sudden appear- 
ance of these animals after a shower is, however, a matter 
of common observation, and I am not aware that any ade- 
quate explanation of the phenomenon has ever been 
given. 
I have heretofore mentioned the finding of minnows 
after a heavy rain in pools and ditches which were dry 
not long before. As for earth worms, their nature and 
habits seem to preclude their coming to the surface vol- 
untarily. When dug up and left on top of the ground 
they seem very uncomfortable and lose no time in bury- 
ing themselves again, as soon as they can find a spot 
where the earth is soft enough to penetrate. Of those 
found after a rain, some are dead, others nearly so, and 
those which are in motion seem plainly to be seeking a 
place to burrow. While it would seem to be impossible 
that they should have come down from above, it is very 
remarkable that they should come up from below, leavy- 
ing their dark, earthy home to be pelted by the rain, 
which seems so disastrous to them. Besides, they are 
often found in situations which they could not have 
reached from the earth, as in tightly cemented cisterns, 
closed with no opening except where the water pipe en- 
ters from the roof. Have those found drowned in rain 
barrels committed suicide by crawling up the side of the 
barrel and thence into the water? By the way, who can 
vouch for their ability to climb a vertical surface in that 
way ? 
This morning, after a shower, I found several earth 
worms near the middle of a street paved with asphalt. 
There was no crack or crevice in the pavement, and it 
connected smoothly, on each side, with a curbstone six- 
and-a-hali inches high. It would seem entirely contrary 
to nature for them to leave the soft earth, climb over the 
curbstone and make the long journey to the middle of 
the street. 
T have no theory or explanation to offer. My relation 
to the subject is merely that of an interested observer. I 
would be glad if others would contribute their ohserva- 
tions, with a view to arriving at the true explanation. 
Cuartes B. Pater. 
The 
Columbus, Ohio. 
LATE-BLOOMING TREES. 
Dr. WALTER MENDELSON inquires in Science for Dec. 
15, 1893, as to ‘‘cause and effects of late-blooming of 
fruit trees.” The fruit buds of pears, peaches, apples 
and cherries are formed during the late summer and 
early autumn. If there should be warm, damp weather 
in the autumn, premature blossoming is frequently 
caused, and the result is the fruit crop of the following 
