1 30 RECORDS 



SECTION OF ASTRONOMY, PHYSICS AND 

 CHEMISTRY. 



May 6, 1901. 



Section met at 8:15 P. M., Professor William Hallock pre- 

 siding. 



The minutes of the last meeting of Section were read and 

 approved. 



The following program was then offered : 



C. B. Warring, What Theology Owes to Modern Science. 



C. C. Trowbridge, A Differential Astatic Magnetome- 

 ter Suggested by Professor Rood. 



Summary of Papers. 



The paper by Mr. 0. B. Warring vvas a very interesting in- 

 terpretation of the story of the creation, as found in Genesis, 

 in the light of modern scientific theories. The author defended 

 the thesis that the order of events given in the first chapter of 

 Genesis did not necessarily contradict the order assumed by 

 modern science. 



The paper was followed by a very interesting discussion. 



The essential part of the magnetometer described by Dr. C. 

 C. Trowbridge, is the suspension system, which consists of 

 two groups of small magnets set 23 cm. apart, and rigidly con- 

 nected by a fine glass fibre. The system is suspended by a 

 single raw silk fibre 10 cm. long. By making the polarity of 

 the two groups of magnets opposite, a system that is approxi- 

 mately astatic is obtained. 



The object of the arrangement employed is partly to annul 

 the effects of distant magnetic disturbing influences, such as 

 those that arise from trolley-car motors, etc., and partly to ob- 

 tain a sensitive system, acting on the differential principle. 



A magnet placed within a meter of the instrument and out- 

 side the neutral plane between the two groups of magnets acts 

 strongly on the nearest group, producing a deflection of the 

 system. The instrument was used in relative determinations of 

 magnetic mov^ements. 



