416 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XVII. No. 428. 



The troublesome problem of the closer re- 

 lation of pure mathematics to its applica- 

 tions: can it not be solved by indirection, 

 in that through the whole course of ele- 

 mentary mathematics, including the intro- 

 duction to the calculus, there be recognized 

 in the organization of the curriculum no 

 distinction between the various branches 

 of pure mathematics, and likewise no dis- 

 tinction between pure mathematics and its 

 principal applications? Further, from 

 the standpoint of pure mathematics: will 

 not the twentieth century find it possible 

 to give to young students during their im- 

 pressionable years, in thoroughly concrete 

 and captivating form, the wonderful new 

 notions of the seventeenth centixry? 



By Avay of suggestion these questions 

 have been answered in the affirmative, on 

 condition that there be established a thor- 

 oughgoing laboratory system of instruction 

 in primary schools, secondary schools and 

 junior colleges — a laboratory system in- 

 volving a synthesis and development of the 

 best pedagogic methods at present in use 

 in mathematics and the physical sciences. 

 Bliakim Hastings Moore. 



Univeesity of Chicago. 



THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE 



ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE. 



SECTION C, CHEMISTRY. 



The meetings of Section C were held 

 jointly with those of the American Chem- 

 ical Society on December 29, 30 and 31, 

 in the Medical Building of Columbian Uni- 

 versity. The meetings on the first two 

 days were in charge of the officers of the 

 American Chemical Society, Dr. Ira Rem- 

 sen, president of the society, presiding. 

 On the third day Vice-President Basker- 

 ville presided. The address of the retiring 

 vice-president, Dr. H. A. Weber, on 'In- 

 complete Observations,' was delivered on 

 Monday, December 29. The newly elected 

 sectional officers are : 



Vice-President — Dr. W. D. Bancroft, of Cornell 

 University. 



Secretary — C. L. Parsons, of Durham, N. H. 



Members of the Sectional Committee — A. S. 

 Wheeler, E. C. Franklin, M. T. Bogert, L. P. Kin- 

 nieutt and L. Kahlenberg. 



Among the papers read were the fol- 

 lowing : 



Corrosion of some Ancient Coins: F. P. 



DuNNiNGTON, University of Virginia, 



Charlottesville, Va. 



About fifteen years ago the late Judge 

 Victor Clay Barringer was living in Alex- 

 andria, Egypt, when an extensive fire oc- 

 curred. After this fire he bought from a 

 native a mass which appeared to consist 

 of corroded copper, which he was told had 

 been obtained from a hole in a wall where 

 a building had been demolished in the con- 

 flagration. This compacted green cylin- 

 drical mass of about twenty pounds weight 

 was kept as a hearth ornament, and not 

 examined until it recently came into the 

 possession of Dr. Paul B. Barringer, of 

 the University of Virginia. The mass then 

 bore the imprint of the woven bag in which 

 it had been confined and proved to be com- 

 posed of coins in various stages of corro- 

 sion. 



The author was requested to clean off a 

 number of the coins, of which there were 

 probably 500, and so far as examined, all 

 prove to have belonged to the reigns of the 

 CfBsars and to have had the same composi- 

 tion and approximately the same weight, 

 about fiftefen grams each. The unaltered 

 red metal consists of silver and copper, 

 containing, as shown by several samples, 

 almost exactly one part of silver to four 

 of copper, which, when partially attacked 

 by dipping in acid, loses a portion of cop- 

 per and leaves a larger proportion of silver, 

 on the surface, and thereafter continues 

 to 'wear' as a white metal, evidently hav- 

 ing passed as 'silver coin.' 



