120 
solved the problem of acclimatization, a 
problem which so far has bafiled physicians, 
and which has even been declared insolu- 
ble ; but which, if ever solved, will change 
the complexion of the earth’s surface and 
inaugurate a new era in the history of man- 
kind. A broader knowledge of physical 
man will throw light on that most intri- 
cate and obscure problem of miscegenation 
or race-intermarriage, a problem which, it 
has been declared, is exceeded by no other 
in its effects on the ‘future prosperity or 
failure of the human species.’ 
The study of physical anthropology 
teaches us that not only are all men not 
born equal, but that tribes and races and 
nations are inevitably doomed to give way 
and perish before the advance of their more 
fortunate fellow-men ; that the time is not 
far distant when a certain few races will 
have peopled the globe, when no survivor 
of the native population will exist on a ter- 
ritory which covers an area of twenty-five 
million square miles and which, four hun- 
dred years ago, contained one hundred mil- 
lion inhabitants. 
To know physical man, his past history, 
his present possibilities, his future destiny 
—such is the aim and value of physical an- 
thropology, but not least in value is to 
teach him his place in nature. 
Grorce A. DorseEy. 
FIELD COLUMBIAN MUSEUM. 
OF AMERICAN ANATO- 
MISTS. 
THE ninth annual session of the Associa- 
tion was held in the Columbian University 
Scientific School, Washington, D. C., Tues- 
day to Thursday, May 4 to 6, 1897, in con- 
junction with the other societies comprising 
the Congress of American Physicians and 
Surgeons. 
Dr. Frank Baker, President of the Asso- 
ciation, presided at the several meetings. 
The following members were present at 
THE ASSOCIATION 
SCIENCE. 
[N.S. Vou. VI. No. 134. 
some time during the session: Baker, 
Bevan, Blake, Bosher, Browning, Carr, 
Dawbarn, Gerrish, Gill, Hamann, Hewson, 
Hodge, Hunt, Huntington, Hutchinson, 
Kemp, Lamb, Leidy, Mears, Miller, Mixter, 
Moran, Parkhill, Reisinger, Roberts, Shep- 
herd, West and Wilder—28 in all. 
The Association was called to order by 
the President who delivered an address, 
which will be printed in ScrENcE. 
Dr. D. S. Lamb, Secretary and Treas- 
urer, submitted his report for the period 
which had elapsed since the last session, 
December 27 and 28, 1895, which was 
accepted. The following are extracts: 
‘No meeting was held in December, 1896, 
in view of the’ fact that this Association is 
a member of the Congress of American 
Physicians and Surgeons, which meets in 
this city in May every third year. The 
Executive Committee believes that if we 
should meet both in December and the 
following May the short interval between 
the meetings would imperil the success of 
the May meeting, at the same time regret- 
ting that by postponing the December 
meeting we lose the opportunity of attend- 
the sessions of the Society of American 
Naturalists and the affiliated societies. 
This is the second time this postponement 
has occurred and in the nature of things 
seems inevitable every third year. 
“Since the last meeting three members 
have died. Sir George Murray Humphry, an 
honorary member, professor of surgery and 
late professor of anatomy in the University 
of Cambridge, England, died September 
24,1896. He is perhaps best known as the 
author of a classic work on ‘ The Skeleton.’ 
Dr. Charles Heitzmann, of New York City, 
at one time lecturer on morbid anatomy in 
the University of Vienna, and who after- 
wards conducted a Histologic and Pathologic 
Laboratory in New York City, author of a 
work on anatomy, having occasion to go to 
Europe for his health, resigned September 
