534 



SCIElSrCE. 



[Vol. VI., No. 150 



lation, resulted in consumption in these people. 

 In the country, consumption prevails in damp 

 valleys and along the banks of rivers. In the city 

 we find it most prevalent in those v^^hose habits are 

 sedentary, as book-keepers, clerks, salesmen, etc. 

 It is also prevalent among file-makers, steel- 

 workers, grindstone-makers. In the latter class, 

 hardly one escapes. In the discussion of this 

 paper, it came out that the mortality from con- 

 sumption was greater in the District of Columbia, 

 in proportion to its population, than in all of New 

 England ; and that whenever it occurred it was 

 largely acquired, probably seventy-five per cent. 

 In fact, some. Dr. Didama of Syracuse among the 

 number, believed that it was always acquned, and 

 never hereditary. 



The evening session of Dec. 9 was opened by 

 the reading of a paper on ' The German system of 

 physical education,' by Dr. E. M. HartweU, Johns 

 Hopkins university, Baltimore. 



Physical training had its origin in Germany in 

 1785. At present the time devoted to this part of 

 the education must be at least two hours weekly. 

 The effect on the development of the German 

 youth can be imagined when it is considered that 

 this systematic physical training continues from 

 the age of six years to the age of eighteen in girls, 

 and twenty in boys. 



A full list of the papers was given in Science of 

 Nov. 20. 



The Lomb prizes were awarded as follows : — 



1°. * Healthy homes and foods for the working 

 classes.' First prize not awarded ; second, to Vic- 

 tor C. Vaughan, Ann Arbor, Mich. 



2°. ' Sanitary conditions and necessities of 

 school-houses and school-life.' First prize not 

 awarded ; second, to D. F. Lincoln, M.D., Boston, 



3°. ' Disinfection and individual prophylaxis 

 against infectious diseases.' First prize, to George 

 M. Sternberg, M.D., surgeon U.S.A. ; second not 

 awarded. 



4°. *'The preventable causes of disease, injury, 

 and death in American manufactories and work- 

 shops, and the best means and appliances for pre- 

 venting and avoiding them." First prize not 

 awarded ; second, to George H. Ireland, Spring- 

 field, Mass. 



Reports of committees on school hygiene, ani- 

 mal diseases and animal foods, and on disposal of 

 the dead, were made by their respective chairmen. 

 The latter was a resiune of what had been accom- 

 plished during the past year in the advancement 

 of cremation. The 4,380 human bodies which are 

 dissected annually in Paris at the medical school 

 are now cremated in the cemetery of Pere la 

 Chaise. In Italy there were, during the year 1884, 



396 bodies incinerated. In Spain a bill has become 

 law, granting permission to cremate human bodies. 

 In Germany, in 1884. 186 bodies were similarly 

 disposed of. During the present year four persons 

 have been cremated in England, and there is now 

 no question there of the legality of this process. 

 The agitation of the question has aroused the 

 Church of England, and important reforms have 

 been instituted in the methods of burial. One of 

 these is the substitution, for the usual coffins, of 

 those made from pulp or papier-mache, which 

 will readily disintegrate. In France a bill is now 

 in the chamber of deputies, legalizing cremation, 

 and an engineer has been sent to Italy to study the 

 best plans for a crematorium, to be built near 

 Paris. During 1884 six societies for the advance- 

 ment of cremation have been established in the 

 United States, and two crematories erected. 



Mr. Lomb offered new prizes for another year, 

 one for plans for constructing houses costing 

 $600, $1,000, and $1,500 ; the amounts to be $100 

 for the first, $75 for the second, $50 for the third, 

 and $25 for the fourth. 



The following officers were elected for the en- 

 suing year : president. Dr. H. P. Walcott, Cam- 

 bridge, Mass. ; first vice-president. Dr. C. W. 

 Covemton, Toronto, Canada; second vice-president. 

 Dr. G. B. Thornton, Memphis, Tenn. ; treasurer. 

 Dr. J. Berrien Lindsley, Nashville, Tenn. The 

 secretary. Dr. Irving A. Watson, was elected in 

 1883 for three years. 



It was decided to hold the next meeting at 

 Toronto, Canada, commencing on the first Tues- 

 day in October. 



METHODS OF TEACHING POLITICAL 

 ECONOMY. 



Professor Laughlin opens the work which we 

 have under consideration with these words : " The 

 existence of tliis little book is due to an attempt to 

 convey by lectures to students an understand- 

 ing of the position which political economy holds 

 in regard, not merely to its actual usefulness for 

 every citizen, but to its disciplinary powers, and to 

 the qualities of mind which are necessary for 

 success in the study." 



The author's treatment of methods, based as it 

 is upon an experience of several years in the 

 class-room, is valuable both on account of its posi- 

 tive information and its suggestiveness. It may be 

 weU, in particular, to call attention to those pages 

 in which Professor Laughlin describes the advan- 



The study of political economy. Hints to students and 

 teachers. By J. Lawrence Laughlin, Ph.D., assistant pro- 

 fessor of political economy in Harvard university. New 

 York, Appleton, 1885. 12°. 



