Decembee 23, 1898.] 



SCIENCE. 



907 



alent for 'anlage.' Why should we not use 

 the German term ? Why is not the German 

 combination of sounds as scientific as any Greek 

 combination '? Why should we turn to Greek, 

 a language far remote from English, out of 

 which we must manufacture the word we want, 

 rather than turn to the kindred language of 

 German, which contains the precise word we 

 want, a word, moreover, which every one must 

 understand, if he wishes to study the science of 

 embryology ? Another important consideration 

 is that the word 'anlage' has already been so 

 widely and so extensively adopted both in Eng- 

 land and America that it is now probably uni- 

 versally understood and often looked upon by 

 those who use it as an accepted and established 

 English word. Indeed, I believe its usage has 

 become so thoroughly established that not only 

 is the word indispensable, but also it has become 

 impracticable to attempt to modify it ; that the 

 substitution o( proton or primordium could not be 

 accomplished, and that the attempt to make 

 such substitution would only create an unfor- 

 tunate conflict of terms. I hope, therefore, 

 that these attempts and all similar ones will be 

 renounced. It may also be described as a nui- 

 sance — this incessant introduction of superflu- 

 ous scientific terms — and particularly in the 

 form it takes of constantly adding a great many 

 elaborate artificial words of Greek origin which 

 are thoroughly unnecessary for scientific pur- 

 poses. It would tend far more to the promo- 

 tion of science to strike out altogether — so that 

 they should be forever forgotten — half of the 

 terms which have been introduced during the 

 last twenty years, than to make any further 

 additions to them. The load of unnecessary 

 technical terms which we have to carry is a 

 a terrible impediment, which hinders our prog- 

 ress every day. I cannot but consider it the 

 result of a pedantic superstition, which appears 

 like a Moloch to whom the life of Science must 

 pay a heavy sacrifice. 



Charles Sedgwick Minot. 

 Haevaed Medical School, 

 December 10, 1898. 



IS THE BEACH PEA FOOD OR POISON? 



Can any botanical reader of Science give 

 me any information in regard to the use as food 



of the seeds of the common Beach Pea {Lathy- 

 rus maritimus)1 



Some twenty years ago I was told a story of 

 some children near Boston who were terribly 

 poisoned from thoughtlessly eating these peas. 

 In fact, my impression is that one or more of 

 them were said to have died from the eflTects of 

 the poison. Recently, however, in looking 

 over the files of the ' Meddelelser om Gr^n- 

 land,' I came across the following note. In 

 Lange's 'Conspectus florae groenlandicse, ' un- 

 der the heading Lathyrus marilimus (Med. om 

 Gri^nl. , Hefte 3, p. 233), the author writes as 

 follows : ' Obs. Seminibus combustis ad cofFeam 

 parandam utuntur Groenlandi,' quoting Worm- 

 sksjold as his authority. Of course, it is pos- 

 sible that roasting the peas to make coffee, 

 neutralizes the poisonous principle if there be 

 any. I should be glad of any further informa- 

 tion on the subject, and, at all events, wish 

 especially to call attention to this curious sub- 

 stitute for coffee. John Murdoch. 



Public Libeaky, Boston. 



[We are informed by Mr. V. K. Chesnut 

 that the seed of the beach pea, Lathyrus mariti- 

 mus, is eaten while still green in a number of 

 places, including England, parts of Alaska, 

 Kamchatka and the Island of Yeso. No re- 

 corded cases of poisoning from this species 

 are known to him, but a peculiar kind of poison- 

 ing is. caused by eating the seeds of other 

 species of Lathyrus for long periods at a time. 

 It is a curious disease which at one time and 

 another has been very prevalent in India. 

 Horses have recently been killed there by eat- 

 ing imported seeds of some of the vetches. It 

 seems possible, therefore, that some toxip prin- 

 ciple may be present in the beach pea. The 

 question might be settled if a series of experi- 

 ments were made on guinea pigs. — Editor 

 Science.] 



SCIENTIFIC LITEEATUBE. 

 Encyhlopaedie der mathematischen Wissenschaften. 

 MitUnterstiitzung der Akademieen der Wis- 

 senschaften zu Miinchen und Wien und der 

 Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Gottin- 



