SCIENCE 



A WEEKLY JOURNAL DEVOTED TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE, PUBLISHING THE 



OFFICIAL NOTICES AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION 



FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE 



Kditobial Committkk : S. Nkwcomb, Matheiuatioe ; R. S. Woodward, Meohauios ; E. C. PlrKKBlNO 



AstroDom; ; T. C Mkkdkkhall, Physios ; iRA Kkmskn, Chemistry ; Charles D. Walcott, 



Geology ; W. M. Davis, Physiography ; Henry F. (»sboes, Paleontology ; W. K. 



Brooks, C. Hart Merriam, Zoology ; S. H. Scudder, Entomology ; C. E. 



Bessey, N. I.. Britton, Botany ; C. S. Minot, Embryology. Histology ; 



H. P. BowrjiTcH, Physiology, William H. Welch, 



Patliologji , .1. McKeen Cattkll, Psychology. 



Friday, December 18, 1903. 



CONTEXTS: 



The Action of Radium, Roentgen Rays and 

 i'ltra-violct Light on itinirals and Gems: 

 Dr. George ¥. Klnz, Professor Chas. 

 Baskerville 7C9 



Am€rica7i Ornithologists' Union: John H. 

 Sage "83 



Scientific Books: — 



The Johns Hopkins Hospital Reports: Pro- 

 fessor V. C. Vauguan "85 



Scientific Journals and Articles 786 



Discussion and Correspondence : — 



The American Association for the Advance- 

 ment of Science: Professor E. H. Hall. 

 The St. Louis Congress of Arts and Sci- 

 ence: Professor Higo Mi-nsterberg. 

 Right-Uandedncss: Professor A. F. Ciiam- 

 berlai.n 787 



Societies and Academies: — 



Section of ecology and Mineralogy of the 

 Xeuj York Academy of Sciences: Dr. E. O. 

 HOVEY. The Torrey Botanical Club: Dr. 

 F. S. Earle. The Biological Section of the 

 Academy of Science and Art of I'iltsburgh, 

 Pa.: Frederick S. Webster. Massa- 

 chusetts Institute of Technology Geological 

 Journal Club: G. E. Loighi.i.n. Associa- 

 tion of Teachers of .Mathematics in the 

 Middle States and Maryland 789 



Shorter Articles: — 



The PeU Obelisk: Professor Israel C. 

 RissELi, 792 



Current Xotes on Meteorology : — 



Meteorological Bibliographies: Professor 



R. DeC. Ward 795 



Botanical Notes: — 



.inolher Fern Book; St. Louis and the 

 Botanists; The Economic Plants of Porto 

 Rico: Professor Charles E. Bessey 790 



The Carnegie Institution 797 



Henry Carrington Bolton 798 



Scientific Xotes and "Seics 798 



University and Educational \eu:s 800 



MSS. Intended for puhlleaclon and books, etc.. Intended 

 for reviev «hniild be sent tn the responsible editor. Pro- 

 lemur '. MoKf »n '^aitell. G»rri8on-on-Hnd(on, N. . 



THE ACTION 01' RADIUM, ROENTGEN RAYS 



AND ULTRA-VIOLET LIGHT ON 



MINERALS AND GEMS.' 



The purpose of this paper is to recount 

 the results of our investigations as to the 

 conduct of the gems and gem-material of 

 the Tiffany-Morgan collection under the 

 influence of Roentgen rays, ultra-violet 

 light and emanations of radium prepara- 

 tions. By the courtesy of the American 

 Museum of Natural IIistorj% we were per- 

 mitted to make a careful study of the action 

 of these agents upon the minerals in the 

 handsome Morgan-Tiffanj' and Morgan-Be- 

 meiit collections. These undoubted]}' are 

 the most complete collections of authenti- 

 cated minerals and gems on exhibition in 

 the United States. The fluorescence and 

 phosphorescence resulting from the action 

 of ultra-violet light upon about 13,000 veri- 

 fied minerals were carefully observed. In 

 addition to the above, we had an oppor- 

 tunity to submit selected stones from about 

 15,000 British Guiana diamonds and two 

 particularly handsome diamonds (one being 

 a tiifanyite) and several carbonadoes to 

 these influences, the products of the most 

 modern scientific investigations. 



As there is no uniform meaning accepted 

 for the term 'fluorescence' and 'phosphor- 

 escence,* in the outset we wish to emphasize 

 our interpretation. Jackson would have 



• Presented before the New York Academy of 

 Sciences, October 6, 1903. 



