SCIENCE. 
271 
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 
[The Editor does not hold himself responsible for opinions expressed 
by his correspondents. No notice is taken of anonymous communi- 
cations . ,] 
To the Editor : 
It seems to me that the editorial article concerning the 
American Society of Microscopists, which appeared in 
“ Science" on page 225, so faras it relates to what I havepre- 
presumed to write elsewhere, is likely to place me in a false 
position before your subscribers. I will not ask for the 
space that would be necessary to discuss the merits of the 
question ; suffice it to say that, with many others, I was in- 
clined to regard the proposition to form a National Organi- 
zation of Microscopists with disfavor from the first, not 
owing to any feeling of opposition to such an organization, 
but purely from considerations of expediency. Your re- 
marks, however, would lead one to suppose that I had 
made a direct criticism of the officers of the society, which 
is not the fact. The only words I have written that could 
possibly be construed to such a meaning, are these : “We 
have regarded the establishment of the society as a worthy 
experiment, but as one mainly conducted by a few leaders, 
who had not the necessary support from microscopists 
generally to insure its success, nor sufficient experience to 
directly it properly.” I have nothing to retract ; but if any 
explanation is necessary, I have only to say that my language 
was intended to apply to those who were most active in 
forming the society in the beginning, not to the officers who 
have since been elected. Nevertheless, to quote again from 
my article, I wrote : “ Once more we desire to say, in order 
that no person may misunderstand us, either wilfully or 
otherwise, that we are not moved by any spirit of opposi- 
tion to the American Society of Microscopists.” The 
course which I strongly advocate, because it seems to me 
that it would be beneficial to both organizations, is that the 
American Society should disband and its members unite 
with the A. A. A. S. It is true that this plan has met with 
opposition from the Society, but if I read the signs aright, 
the same resolution to do this, which was indignantly voted 
down at Indianapolis, will be more carefully considered if 
offered next year. 
The question that presents itself to my mind is not : Can 
the American Society of Microscopists be made to exist as 
an independent organization, by the efforts of a few enthu- 
siastic members ? but it is rather : Can research with the 
microscope be fostered better by such an organization, or 
by the sub-section of the A. A. A. S. ? The microscope is 
an instrument that is used in many branches of scientific 
stud)'', but microscopy is not the name of any science. A 
local microscopical society may, indeed, be a centre of at- 
traction of scientific men generally, ; but it is doubtful if a 
national microscopal society can ever prove sufficiently at- 
tractive to induce its members to travel half way across the 
continent to attend its meetings. Respectfully, 
New York, November ix, 1880. R. Hitchcock. 
To the Editor of Science : 
Vol. 1, No. 10, of the Humbolt Library, is an essay on 
“ The Theory of Sound in its Relation to Music ” by Prof. 
Pietro Blaserna, of the Royal University, of Rome. It is 
interspersed with illustrations and demonstrations of 
a very interesting character, and written in a popular 
manner. 
Every musician must feel the touch of a kindred soul 
as the subject reaches the historical phase, whilst the 
criticisms, on national influence upon music, are very im- 
partial and indeed beautiful. The temperate scale is 
referred to, in too scourging a manner, which should 
rather be applied to the dogmatic assertions of would-be- 
musicians who have failed to acquaint themselves with \ 
scientific truths. 
The essay is very useful as the stepping stone to a 
very much involved subject, and may perhaps be endorsed 
as a whole, with the exception of what follows and the 
consequences entailed thereby — namely the conclusion 
at which he arrives that “vibration is the CAUSE and 
sound the effect,” in reply to which, note as follows : 
A. 1. The laws of inertia apply to aerial as well as to 
solid bodies, only in a less degree. 
2. The vibration of air may be made apparent to the 
ear or the eye, within the limits of their perception. 
3. These limits are not throughout coincident. 
4. The perception by eye and ear simultaneously is 
only possible within the limits of coincident percep- 
tions. 
Therefore to expect that what is popularly called 
sound, viz., the perception of vibration by the ear, should 
be concomitant with the perception by the eye, is evi- 
dently absurd in all cases except within the limits in 
which those perceptions coincide — otherwise vibration 
would always be heard, when seen. 
B. 1. Air in the undisturbed enjoyment of inertia will 
never vibrate. 
2. It may however be made to do so, by applying 
dynamic power or energy, either muscular force, mechan- 
ical force, electricity, heat, etc., as in the drum, siren, 
thunder, sham-whistle, or what is popularly called the 
“ ke tie singing.” 
3. The vibrating air may then be apparent to the 
nerves of sight, hearing, or feeling. 
Therefore it is the effect of a disturbing cause, and 
may be studied either objectively or subjectively through 
any of those perceptions. 
We listen to the sound of the bell — what we perceive 
by the ear is the vibration of air, the exciting cause of 
which is the energy, which set the bell in motion. The 
bell itself being the mechanical vibrator and resonator — 
the loudness of the sound results from the manner 
of applying the energy — what musicians sometimes 
call the “mode of attack,” and do we wish to know 
the relation existing between the energy and the vibra- 
tion? All that is necessary, thanks to Balfour Stewart , 
is to use his formula, viz., that “energy is propor- 
tional to the square of the velocity,” velocity in this 
case being as the number of vibrations per second. 
So the vibrations of the harmonic series being related to 
the fundamental as the whole numbers, the energy nec- 
essary to produce this series increases in the ratio of the 
square root of the vibrations. The resistance necessary 
to overcome this increasing energy is peculiarly attested 
by the lip of the cornetist, in the production of the 
ascending harmonic series. 
John H. Rhodes. 
New Brunswick, November 13, 1880. 
Intensity of Certain Phenomena of Atmospheric 
Electricity Observed in the North of the Sahara. — 
L. Amat has observed that in tropical countries the electric 
phenomena of the atmospheric stratum in contact with the 
soil are more distinct than in colder climates. 
Method of Determining the Fatty Acids Contained 
in Oils. — M. Carpentin takes a small flat-bottomed flask or 
a medicine phial holding about 250 c.c. Into this phial are 
measured 50 c.c. of the sample of oil, and 100 c.c. of alco- 
hol at go per cent., and 3 or 4 drops of tincture of tumeric 
are added. The phial is then corked and violently shaken. 
The phial is then placed under a Mohr’s bgrette containing 
a solution of 40 grms. pure sodium hydrate per litre of 
water. As 40 grms. soda saturate 282 of oleic acid, 1 c.c. 
of the liquid, containing 0.04 grm. soda, corresponds to 
0.282 grm. of oleic acid. If another fatty acid has to be de- 
termined this number is modified accordingly. The alka- 
line liquid is carefully dropped into the phial, which is 
shaken. When a red coloration appears it is corked, 
agitated for a considerable time till the yellow color reap- 
pears, the alcohol having extracted a fresh quantity of acid 
out of oil. These operations are continued until the red 
color becomes permanent. The number of c.c. and the 
fraction of a c.c. consumed are then multiplied by 0.282 
grms., in order to find the quantity of oleic acid present in 
the sample examined. 
