446 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XXI. No. 534. 



His latest work has been the preparation 

 of changes in and amendments to the bills 

 that have been drawn up for the protec- 

 tion of remains on the public domain. This 

 work enabled Pi'ofessor Hewett to handle 

 the subject in a very comprehensible way. 



The groups of ruins were described, the 

 labor expended .in each, and what should 

 be done in the way of preserving them for 

 future scientific work. The various bills 

 for the preservation of ruins were ex- 

 plained, and the objectionable features of 

 each pointed out. Reports of the commis- 

 sioner of the general land office, and a 

 monograph by the speaker were given to 

 members of the section in order that a bet- 

 ter comprehension of existing conditions 

 might be obtained. 



Tlic Election at Jemez Pueblo. Albert 

 B. Reagan. Read by title. 



Frcliistoric Surgery: A Neolithic Survival. 



George Grant Mac Curdy. 



This paper dealt with a certain type of 

 neolithic surgery having certain points in 

 common with trepanning, and which has 

 been brought to light during the past 

 decade. The type occurs in France over 

 a limited area lying to the north of Paris 

 between the Seine and the Oise. The ci- 

 catrice is iisually in the shape of a T, the 

 antero-posterior branch following the line 

 of the sagittal suture ; and the transverse 

 branch, encountered in the region of the 

 obelion. descending on either side to a point 

 back of the parietal protuberances. In 

 addition to the T-shaped lesion, one skull 

 was marked by two oval perforations, one 

 quite large, and two pits large enough to 

 lodge the tip of the finger. The eight or 

 nine specimens already described are all 

 from prehistoric sepultures known as dol- 

 ini'Ds. In the opinion of Professor Man- 

 ouvrier the lesions were produced by cau- 

 terization, an opinion which was recently 



confirmed by the discovery of quotations 

 from ancient texts describing the treatment 

 for melancholia, hypochondria, epilepsy, 

 etc., as prescribed by the surgeons of the 

 Dark Ages. The paper will appear in the 

 American Anthropologist. 



FRIDAY afternoon, DECEMBER 30. 



Mexican and Central American Archeol- 

 ogy. Address of Vice-President Sa\tlle. 



The Bat-eared God of the Zapotecs. H. 

 N. Wardle. 



The paper presented a resume of the 

 knowledge of this god from the pottery 

 urns that have been found and from repre- 

 sentations in the old codices. 



Officers of Section H for the ensuing 

 year : 



Vice-President — George Grant MacCurdy. 

 Secretary — George H. Pepper. 



George H. Pepper, 



Secretary. 

 American MusEi ii of Xatl ral History. 



8ECTI0y I, SOCIAL AXD ECOXOMIC 

 SCIENCE. 



Section I is in some respects ideally con- 

 stituted. It has a smaller body of experts 

 in its membership who plan its programs 

 and work out its policy. The larger num- 

 ber of members represent business experi- 

 ence and practical social effort. It thus 

 combines in its programs the scientific dis- 

 cussion and methods of the expert with the 

 results of well-considered experience in 

 social and economic affaire. This year's 

 program Avas well supplied with papers 

 representing both phases of interest. 



Two joint sessions were held, one with 

 Section D for hearing a paper by Professor 

 A. E. Outerbridge, Jr., on 'Specialization 

 in Manufactures,' and one with the Society 

 for the Proinotion of Agricultural Science, 

 to hear the memorial by Professor W. R. 

 Tjazenby on the life of the late Major H. E. 



