Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-18

WalcOtt Gibbs.
ing corporation and it keeps its compile
ment of members at one hundred by an
nually electing to its membership men of
highest prominence in the scientific world.
Applications are not permitted, and it is by
a sort of freemaSonry management of the
process that the new members are chosen.
All nominations are made at one meeting
and lie over for action at the following
| meeting. Thus, the gentlemen voted into
membership today have been under con-
sideration since the meeting held here
year ago.
New Members.
The new members elected today by secret
ballot are: Dr. william H. Welch Of Johns
Hopkins University. DR.. William L. Elkin
| Of Yale University, the noted astronomer:
| Prof. Charles Sprague Sargent Of Harvard
| University, the famous arboriculturist, and
Prof. Charles Whitman of Chicago Uni
| versity Prof. Whitman was formerly con-
nected with the Troy Polytechnic 1nstf-
| tute and is a celebrated paleontologist.
The academy selected Philadelphia as the
place for the fall meeting. and fixed the
| date at October 90. At that meeting the
| new president, Prof. Wolcott Gibbs, will be
| indicted into office and Prof. Marsh's term
| of office will terminate.
| Three foreign associates were chosen
Prof. Rudolph Leuckart of the University
! of Leipsic, Prof. Julius Won Sachs Of Wurz-
| burg and Prof. Sophus Lie, the famous
| Norwegian astronomer, now lecturing at
| Leipsic.
This Afternoons Proceedings.
This afternoon at o'clock the academy
| met in the audience room at the museum
| to witness the presentation of the Watson
| medal to Mr.. Seth c. Chandler. for his re-
searches on the variation of ATTITUDES, on
| variable stars, and for his other works in
| astronomy. The medal was presented by
| President Marsh, who made a fitting speech
| explaining the meaning of the honor con-
| ferred. Following this Prof. Gould Of Har-
| ward read a biographical memoir Of DR..
| Lewis NJ. Rutherford, and a paper by A. M
| Mayer was read entitled "a Linkage
! Showing the Laws of the Refraction of
Light" and Mr.. Seth c. Chandler read
paper on a New Determination of the Nu-
| tation-C Constant, and Some Allied Topics"
For Discovering Argon.
The Barnard gold medal was voted to
Lord Rayleigh for his discovery Of argon In
| the atmosphere.
Arrears Considered.
Among items of business passed upon at
| this session is an amendment to the con-
stitution Of the academy in regard to
rears of dues. This amendment was pro-
posed by DIR. Billings and adds to article 10
| of the constitution the following para
graph: whenever a member has not paid
|
| treasurer shall report the fact to the coun-
| Gil, which may report the case to the
| academy, with the recommendation that
the person thus in arrears be declared to
recommendation be approved by two-thirds
| of the members present the said person
| shall no longer be q member Of the acad-
envy, and his name shall be dropped from
| the roll"
This amendment will probably be adopted
| by the academy at its present session.
| Other amendments effecting the organfza-
ton of the academy will also be taken up.
| New Theory of Ventilation.
! The paper presented by DR.. John 8. Bill
| ings on the composition Of exhaled air has
| created much interest.
The conclusions are that in the exhaled
breath no conditions of disease exist. The
| disease bacteria find a vehicle in the Or
garlic matter carried in the breath and COM
ing from the teeth and lungs. Even the
| minute quantity of organic matter exhaled
by healthy human beings contains no
| poisonous bacteria.
| The breath even Of consumptive is not
| dangerous. 1t Is only when the subject
| coughs or sneezes that the exhalation bears
| the germs of disease. 1t Is never In the
air itself that such disease spreads. but in
| the dust from sputa. Experiments have
| been made with tracheotamatfzed sub
| ject, by which 1t was made clear that air
| from the lungs passing from the windpipe
| and not over the organic matter in the
| pharynx and on the tongue and teeth was
| free from bacteria. All this has an i'm
| portant bearing on ventilation, and to ar
| chitects is matter Of the greatest prac-
| teal value. OF course. the whole theory OF
the paper was subversive OF accepted ideas
| of ventilation.
| that aside from the matter OF inhalfng
| poisonous organic matter, breathing the
pure air of the mountains secures no special
| immunity from disease over breathing the
| air of the slums. Neither produces disease.
| There followed this paper an interested
| discussion: Prof. Remsen of Johns Hop
| kins said it would upset all accepted no
| tons on the subject. Prof. Bowditeh OF
| Harvard said he agreed with the general
! line OF results brought out by DR.. Billings
| and thought the skin was great source of
| disease conditions.
Members Present.
The members Of the academy present
are Prof. Alexander Agassiz Of Harvard,
Prof. George F. Barker of Philadelphia,
J Prof Carl Barns of Washington. DR.. John
8. Billings of the National Medical Mu-
scum, Mr.. Lewis Boss of Albany. N. Y,
Gen. Thomas L. Casey. U. s. A; Prof
Charles F. Chandler of Columbia Univer-
sity. New York city. Prof. Theodore N. Gill
| Of Washington, Prof. E. D. Cope Of Phila-
delphia, Prof. Wolcott Gibbs Of Newport
R. l., Prof. G. Brown Goode Of Washing
ton, Prof. Benjamin A. Gould Of Harvard
University, Prof Arnold Hague of Wash
ington, Prof Asaph Hall Of Washington,
Prof. Charles 8. Hastings of Yale Univer-
sity, New Haven. Conn, Mr.. George w.
Hill of West Nyack, N. Y; Prof. o. c.
Marsh of Yale University, New Haven,
Conn, Prof. Thomas c. Mendenhall Of
Worcester, Mass, Mr. Edward s. Morse of
Salem, Mass, Prof. Simon Newcomb, U. 8.
N: Prof Ira Remsen of Johns Hopkins
University, Baltimore. Prof. Henry A. Row
land of Johns Hopkins University. Balti-
more, Prof Charles A. Schott Of Washing
ton, Prof John Trowbridge Of Harvard
l Moss Eror,
els A. Walker Of Boston. Prof. Charles A.
White Of Washington.