New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-29
FROM SKELETONS TO FROGS.
RANGE OF THE NATURALIsTS PAPERS.
GOOD AND BAD TIMBFR-EyoLUuoN OF TISSUES
PRESERVATION OF HEART AND BRAIN.

GOOD AND BAD TIMBFR-EvoLUnoN OF TISSUES
PRESERVATION OF HEART AND BRAIN
The Society of Naturalists of the Eastern
United States met yesterday The morning session was
at the School of Mines Columbia College All the officers
of the society were reelected for the ensuing year. with
tbe addition Of an Executive Committee at large
consisting of Professor II. G. Lewis and Professor
Lester F. Ward. The following new members were
elected: Professor H. A. Ward, DR.. George H.
Piersol Dr. Il. Meade Smith, Dr. William Gray
DIR. f. T. Reichert, DR.. n. A. Randolph, j A.
Jefres j. p Iddngs, Arnold Hague, II. C. Bolton LOUIS
b. Gratacup F. c. HILL Professor j. B. Ellis, Professor j.
L. Workman Sanderson Smith and George II. Williams
The Executive Committee was directed to prepare lsV
of ne rsOns not professional nauraliss to be regularly Id
vited to attend the meetings Of the society az guests
committee Of four appointed 10 cooperate Win lne
Executive Committee to define the meaning OF the term
professional naturalist" resolution was adopted ex
pre- ssng hearty sympathy with the aims Of the conyen
ton OF professors Of modern languages and recognizing
the great importance OF thorough knowledge OF modern
languages especially of German and French TO students
Of natural history committee of five was appointed 10
present to the society of urherng the inter
ess OF the biological section Of the American Association
for the Advancement of Science.
Professor S. II. Gage of Cornell University, made an
address the OF peroxide of hydrogen for bleaching
skeletons. He said that the chlorine bleaching
agents ordi Darily used for cleaning skeletons
were t0unQ 10 produce uelSVeIlOub aVuOh vi VIZ
bones During recent years peroxide Of hydrogen
had been given prominence therapeutic agent and
in lesser degree as bleaching agent. He had recently
applied TO bleaching skeletons and found that II dd us
work rapidly and efficiently No destructive matter was
produced and hence only the O1dizabe eoorng matter
was changed, without the accompaniment OF noxiOus
vapors or dsagrceable odOrs. The only preparation
necessary before treating with peroxide OF hydrogen was
the bones from grease eherby benzne or bsuph
de OF carbon. In from two 10 three days the skeleton
would then be completely bleached Professor Gage eX
hbted the skeleton head Of cat that had been beaohed
by peroxide OF hydrogen i'll two days 1t was OF snowy
whiteness He recommended professors to clean their
own skeletons otherwise they might ind 1t necessary TO
resort to reservations.
Professor Alpheus Hyatt, the president OF
the society, spoke the methods OF
mounting specimens employed IN the museum Of the
of botany in the University Of Pennsylvania, made
brief address the microscopic distinctions between
good and bad timber. He said: "Three elements nave
to be considered in estimating the strength Of timber
These are the woody fibre, the ducts ana me 50,
idea that the strength Of the timber dependent upon
the length Of the individual wood fibre On the contrary
II has little connection with IT, but much Of the strength
depends upon the thickness OF the walls Othe lndNuua
fibre The presence OF ducts in large numbers Is ele
ment of weakness. AS between two specimens Of timber
The stronger on testing timber by pulling It, It
the direction Of the meduary than at right angles
to them Strength has no necessary relation TO desIa
woody fibre determines the strength OF the timber. The
Hnd mere q ls Sa%S woods often
teal in length with that Of the shebaIk hickory one OF
the hardest and strongest Of woods The ordinary fibre
Of the American white oak contains about twelve times
as Ezucb oSN wells a. the FlsslE - pine ' .,.u
Dr. Charles s Minot read the closing paper OF the morn
ing session He discussed the arrangement and casshca
ton of Tissues upon the basis OF their supposed evolution
assuming that this Is the only scientific basis for an al
arrangement Of the kind
TIE AFTERNOON SESSION.
The afternoon session held in the library Of the
Museum OF Natural History Dr.. A. Dimmock read
paper on the of typographical materials in mi
croscopcal works Professor Burt @. Wider delivered
an address on the preservation Of the heart and brain
am not too severe" he said, in saying that in our
rations OF hearts and brains are FIT 20
sgbserye the u. 9ga & r. ,hs STn TRn 2
the interior vessels OF the heart were INITIATED and
dump the heart into alcohol and trust to Providence TO do
what Providence has never been known 10 do
namely, keep the cavities distended and The
walls apart but to put alcohol inside the the
the alcoholic Injections BY this means the heart may be
made OF great value 10 anaomists and BIOLOGISTS 10y being
preserved wholly in It's normal condition instead Of alto
Rether out OF shape Professor wider explained how he
applied the process TO the preservation OF the brain
brain might be made keep It's original form by sub
hitting It 10 this treatment before extracting II from the
skull.
Or. Wilson then read paper some methods OF sec
iOnCutng describing recent advances In the art OF
preparing microscopic sections Professor Wilder cXpa
tiaed briefly the advantages OF the necturus, one
OF saamandcrs for practical anatomical work and for
II ought 10 supeTsede the lIog as ypca! FORM me
frog" he said, presents anatomical features which
are preposterous lie Is msleaihR rom every point 81
view He should never be placed before the student Al
that can be said In his favor Is that he Il easily got at
The session closed win an exposition 0y Professor
teachers natural history subjects The society then
adjourned TO meet again twelve months hehce al some
place hereafter 10 De decided on