^8 ANNALS NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



George B. Pegram, Are There Atoms of Light ? — The Quantum 

 Theory. 



Summary of Paper 



Dr. Pegram discussed the several experimental facts that have led to 

 the determination of a certain universal constant, usually referred to as 

 Planck's "h", and the attempts that are being made to work this constant 

 into physical theory ; how the fact of this constant means that the atomic 

 mechanism of radiation and absorption of light or other electromagnetic 

 radiation involves the transfer of elementary discrete quanta of energy, 

 the magnitudes of these quanta being directly proportionate to the fre- 

 quency of the vibration ; the irreconcilability of the quantum theory with 

 the formerly accepted theory of the equi-partition of energy ; the quantum 

 theory as apparently incompatible with the accepted laws of mechanics. 



The Section then adjourned. 



Y. E. Levine, 



Secretary. 



SECTION OP BIOLOGY 



10 April, 1916 



Section met at 8 :15 p. m., Vice-President H. von W. Schulte pre- 

 siding. 



The following program was presented : 



H. B. Williams, An Electrical Theory op Nerve Impulse. 

 H. von W. Schulte, The Morphology of the Azygos Veins, 



Summary of Paper 



Professor Schulte stated that the azygos veins, contrary to the impli- 

 cation of their name, are originally paired channels developed in the 

 plexus about the anlages of the vertebra and constituting when fully 

 formed a series of anastomoses between segmental veins which extend 

 from the head to the root of the tail. These serial -anastomoses make 

 their first appearance in embryos of sauropsids where they develop as a 

 collateral channel for the drainage of the body segments as the regression 

 of the mesonephros entails a reduction of the posterior cardinal vein. 

 Coincidentally a second longitudinal vessel on each side emerges from the 

 abundant plexus about the neuraxis within the spinal canal, and this too 

 receives blood from the segmental vein?. These two sets of channels. 



