FEBRUARY 1, 1884.] 
amere introduction. But these results can be secured 
only by earnest, skilful, continuous experimental in- 
vestigation, which is practically impossible without 
pecuniary support. In France and Germany such 
support is liberally supplied by the government; in 
the United States, where human life is certainly as 
valuable as there; where live-stock interests are al- 
ready greater than in these countries combined, and 
must multiply many fold in the immediate future; 
where a single infectious disease of cattle has caused 
the loss of $20,000,000 in one year, and a single disease 
of hogs the destruction of $30,000,000 in the same 
time; where infectious diseases are so prevalent 
among live stock that the fear of infection has closed 
European markets against American meat and cattle 
— the government of this great commonwealth, which 
advances enormous sums for local river and harbor 
improvements; which sends expensive commissions 
over the world to observe the transit of Venus or of 
the moon, or to find an open polar sea; and engages in 
other undertakings of purely scientific interest, has 
not yet made one judicious, systematic, liberally sup- 
ported inquiry into the possibility of acquiring pro- 
tection against pleuro-pneumonia, hog-cholera, and 
other devourers of the national wealth. A glance 
at the imperial German health bureau and its work 
during the last four years, and a mental comparison 
of the pecuniary resources of Germany with those of 
the United States, inspire the hope that we shall not 
SCIENCE. 
135 
always lag so far behind in matters which appeal to 
the tenderest spot of the American anatomy — the 
pocket.”’ 
Dr. Gradle’s book is made up of eight lec- 
tures delivered in Chicago, and is published on 
a more ambitious scale than are those of Dr. 
Belfield. For the beginner, or for one who is 
neither a pathologist, biologist, nor physiolo- 
gist, this book is the more suitable. Its style 
is diffuse — not always, however, with a gain 
in perspicuity ; and its index, its references to 
authorities, and its evident intention to give 
to all sides a fair showing, are features to be 
specially commended. 
In these lectures we have, in fact, rather 
the report of the evidence than the judge’s 
charge to the jury. We miss that critical and 
even judicial flavor which is so pleasant a fea- 
ture of Dr. Belfield’s book ; and on that account 
we must consider the latter more suitable for 
the connoisseur; the former (Dr. Gradle’s), 
for the beginner or the casual reader. 
INTELLIGENCE FROM AMERICAN SCIENTIFIC STATIONS. 
GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS. 
Geological survey. 
Yellowstone national park. — During the season of 
1883 Mr. Arnold Hague began work in the Yellow- 
stone national park, preliminary to a series of careful 
and systematic observations which are to be prose- 
cuted in this field through a number of years. The 
geysers are to be made the subject of minute study; 
and the volcanic rocks, so abundant at numerous 
points in the park, will be examined in detail, not only 
as regards their geologic relations, but also in regard 
to their structure and composition. The field inves- 
tigations in the park during the past season were 
confined mainly to the preliminary examinations 
necessary to determine what geologic and physical 
problems have to be solved, and to ascertain what 
thermal changes had taken place since the observa- 
tions of 1878 recorded by Dr. Peale. Mr. Hague’s 
party was constituted as follows: Mr. Arnold Hague, 
geologist in charge; Messrs. Joseph P. Iddings, W. 
H. Weed, George M. Wright, and C. D. Davis, assist- 
ant geologists; Dr. William Hallock, physicist; Mr. 
W. H. Jackson, photographer, with an assistant; 
Mr. Roland Holt, volunteer assistant; and cook, 
packers, etc. 
Geologic work. — Mr. Hague took the field the 
latter part of July, outfitting at Bozeman, Montana. 
Work was begun in the park at Mammoth hot-springs 
early in August. From this point, slow marches were 
made to the upper geyser basin of Fire Hole River, to 
allow of a geologic reconnaissance of the route fol- 
lowed. At the latter locality a permanent camp was 
established until the last of August. In the mean 
time a hurried trip was taken to the Shoshone geyser |. 
basin and the Heart-lake basin, for the purpose of 
comparing them with the geyser basins of the Fire 
Hole River, and to note what changes have occurred 
during the past five years. While on this trip, Mount 
Sheridan was ascended. Mr. Hague thinks that this 
mountain, from which a fine view of the surround- 
ing country was obtained, is a volcanic crater, which 
has been so greatly modified by glacial action that 
its true origin has been obscured. 
Camp was moved from the geyser basin to the 
Great Falls of the Yellowstone, Sept. 1, and kept there 
until the 19th. While at this point, the structure of 
the Mount Washburn was examined, and a trip made 
to the head waters of the Gardiner and Gibbon Rivers. 
The region of the Grand Cafion was also investigated, 
and the bottom reached at four different places. The 
Grand Cafion is an admirable place to study the 
decomposition of rhyolitic flows, the weathering of 
which has produced the brilliant coloring for which 
the cafion is so justly celebrated. A trip was also 
made from this camp to Steamboat Point, on Yellow- 
stone Lake, from which point the ascent of Mount 
Chittenden was made. Mr. Hague considers this 
mountain one of the best points of observation 
within the limits of the park, and, after a trail has 
been built to it, thinks it will become one of the ob- 
jective points of tourists who visit the lake. It sur- 
passes Mount Washburn; as it gives a closer and more 
detailed view of the lake, and presents a magnificent 
panorama of the high mountain range on the east 
side of the park. The prospect is perhaps not so ex- 
