316 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 



Professor H. T. Eddy, uf the Cincinnati University, then read his paper 

 '■" On a New Method of Applying Water-power of Small Head to Effect the Di- 

 rect Compression of Air to any Required High Pressure." 



Dr. J. Lawrence Smith followed with an explanation of "The Needle Tele- 

 phone," a new instrument invented by Dr. Goodman, of Louisville, Ky. The 

 invention made use of needles arranged between two coils and a tightly-stretched 

 diaphragm, instead of the usual coils and loose diaphragm used in the Bell and 

 -other telephones. It was stated that the Needle Telephone is really much better 

 than any other telephone, but on account of existing patents could not be used 

 at present. He hoped, however, that a "transmitter" would yet be invented 

 upon some principle not falling under present patents, which, combined with Dr. 

 <ioodman's invention, could yet be utilized. 



The paper occasioned remarks by Dr. Smith, and others upon the present 

 condition of the American patent laws, and the sentiment was universally ex- 

 pressed that there is urgent need for reform. 



Professor W. LaConte Stevens read a paper on an " Improved Sonometer." 



Section A reassembled in the afternoon, and the session was opened with a 

 paper by Prof Ormond Stone, on "The Great Outburst Comet b, 1881, observ- 

 •ed at the Cincinnati Observatory." Mr. Wilson, Prof Stone's assistant, being 

 present was called upon and stated that while looking through the telescope on 

 the evening in question he noticed a peculiar and unnatural brightness in the 

 comet. He at first supposed that the telescope was not properly focused, but, 

 .after adjusting the focus by a fixed star, he found on re-examining the comet the 

 same unnatural glare on the side tovvard the tail, and observed a black line ex- 

 tending across the comet. 



Professor Stone continued : He having been called by Mr. Wilson, hastened 

 to examine the comet. He noticed the same peculiarities described by Mr.» 

 Wilson. The color was red to the hue of the fan. 



The next paper was that of Prof. J. R. Eastman, of Washington, on the 

 '" Method of Determining the Value of the Solar Parallax from Meridian Observa- 

 tions of Mars." This was described as the most trustworthy of all methods for 

 determining the solar parallax. It consists, in general, of observing at two differ- 

 ent^times, say at night and the following day, eight fixed stars, four north and 

 four south, of the observer. By comparing these observations and observations 

 taken of the planet Mars at the same times, the error occasioned by diffraction is 

 corrected. 



Professor H. A. Newton, of Yale College, then read a paper on "Numbers 

 of Cometary Orbits Relative to Perihelion Distance." After discussing several 

 hypotheses, the Professor showed mathematically that the orbits of comets are 

 xeally parabolas, and they belong in some sense to the system of the earth. 



Professor Peirce, of Johns Hopkins University, read a paper " On the Com- 

 parison of the Yard and Meter by Means of the Reversible Pendulum." 



Thomas Bassnett, of Jacksonville, Florida, read a lengthy paper ascribing 

 meteorological disturbances to the effect of " Seven Electrical Vortices." 



