July 12, 1901.] 



SCIENCE. 



67 



difficult for undergraduates to do more in the 

 way of research than to work out some original 

 detail. In this work, they make extensive use 

 of the laboratory method, and the effort is made 

 to require students to think for themselves. 

 The paper closed with the citation of subjects 

 of investigation followed in the medical clinic. 

 Professor Pillsbury presented a summary of a 

 paper entitled ' Do the Sensations of Movement 

 Originate in the Joints?' The narration of his 

 experiments showed that a current through the 

 ankle or elbow was as effective in reducing the 

 sensitiveness of knee or elbow as currents 

 through the joints in question. This fact, be 

 stated, can only be explained if the sensory 

 endings in the tendon or muscle are the seat of 

 the sensation, and not the joints as is usually 

 claimed. 



In the March meeting Dr. Warthin and Dr. 

 Hulett presented papers. Dr. Warthin spoke 

 on ' A Contribution to the Normal Histology 

 and Pathology of the Hemolymph Glands ' 

 (preliminary report). In this paper the occur- 

 rence of glands containing blood-sinuses instead 

 of lymph-sinuses is for the first time shown to be 

 constant in the human body. The distribution 

 of these glands, their minute structure, their 

 hemolytic function under normal conditions, 

 etc. , are described. Two types of these glands — 

 splenolymph and marrowlj'mph glands — are 

 found to occur. In a number of cases of fatal 

 anemia, pathological changes were found in 

 these glands, showing conclusively that they 

 may become centers of red blood-cell formation. 



Dr. Hulett presented a report of his measure- 

 ments of ' The Eelation Between Surface Energy 

 and Solubility.' The theoretical relation be- 

 tween surface tension and solubility was dis- 

 cussed, and experimental data given to show 

 that the solubility of a substance depends upon 

 the curvature of the surface — i. e., the finer the 

 state of division the more soluble (t constant). 

 The solubility of gypsum was increased 19 fo 

 by decreasing the size of the jjarticles from 

 2 /J. to 0.3 /« ; barium sulphate showed an in- 

 crease of 100 fo in solubility, and mercury oxide 

 300 fo over that of the normally saturated solu- 

 tions. 



At the last meeting, held the 29th of May, 

 Professor Lloyd read a paper bearing the title 



'Some Unscientific Reflections upon Science.' 

 The paper was vigorously discussed, some of 

 those present thinking that the attitude of scien- 

 tific men had been unfaii-ly portrayed, while 

 others supported Professor Lloyd. This paper 

 is soon to appear in full in Science. At this 

 meeting also. Professor E. D. Campbell detailed 

 in a highly interesting manner his researches 

 on the microscopical and chemical composition 

 of steel. His paper gave a comparison of the 

 heat of formation, and the action of nitric acid 

 and of iodine on cementite, one of the constitu- 

 ents of high carbon steel, and on the pure car- 

 bide of iron isolated from pearlite. From these 

 comparisons the author concludes that free 

 cementite is not only not identical with the 

 carbide of pearlite, as is usually assumed, but 

 is probably not a carbide at all, but a solid 

 solution of carbon in iron. 



Frederick C. Newcombe, 



Secretary. 



THE TEXAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



During the half year ending with June, this 

 organization held four meetings in the Chemical 

 Lecture Room of the University of Texas. On 

 January 18, Dr. William Morton Wheeler, pro- 

 fessor of zoology in the University, lectured 

 upon ' The Relation of Ants to other Living 

 Organisms ' ; on March 23, Dr. William L. Bray, 

 professor of botany, lectured on ' Texas For 

 ests : their Present Condition and their Future 

 Management'; and on April 5, Dr. William B. 

 Phillips, the lately appointed director of Uni- 

 versity Mineral Survey, lectured on ' Texas 

 Petroleum.' The lectures of Messrs. Wheeler 

 and Bray were illustrated by a liberal use of 

 lantern slides. 



The program of the annual meeting, held on 

 June 10, was as follows : ' Contributions of the 

 Nineteenth Century to Education,' William S. 

 Sutton, M.A., professor of the science and art 

 of education in the University of Texas. 



'Rice Irrigation in Texas,' Thos. U. Taylor, 

 M.C.E., professor of applied mathematics in the 

 University of Texas. 



'Texas Railway Stock and Bond Law,' R, 

 A. Thompson, C.E., expert engineer to the 

 Texas Railroad Commission. 



' Texas Minerals and Mineral Localities ' (by 



