The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-04-11
WOMEN AND SCIENCE.

tits sometimes charged against women
that with all their literary clubs and their
societies for improving their own and other
peoples minds their intellectual efforts are
not directed along practical and scientific
lines; it is asserted that their tendency to
sentiment and to the expression of mere
emotion hinders their advance into the
realms of accurate and useful knowledge
Even the Journal, which, as its readers
know, has always been the earnest cham
pion of woman, has at times felt compelled
to utter friendly protest against the pro-
pensity of the sex to indulge in wild flights
of fancy when the actualities of life de-
manded attention. This disposition TO soar
into the illimitable and to scorn the COM
monplace things of earth has been particu-
larly noticeable in the doings of women's
clubs, and it is therefore with unfeigned
pleasure that the Journal chronicles pro-
ceedings of another sort. The Women's
National Science Club met in annual ses-
sion in Washington last week and treated
itself and the public to a series of papers
and discourses which show what the femi-
nine mind can do when turned into scien-
tific channels. and which can excite only
admiration from the most critical The
opening paper of the session was entitled
Revision and Adeorbis Of the American
Marine Mollusca Enormously Referred to
that Genus" Unfortunately, the text of
this paper is not given in the published re-
ports, and would perhaps not be of absorb
ing interest at this port, but it's reading is
said to have brought enthusiastic applause
from the female audience. Another learned
contribution was on the subject of original
research in the mushroom family. This is
a theme that touches closely upon every
day life in many communities, for most
persons addicted to the mushroom habit
likely at some time in their career to
indulge in original research with disastrous
results. A teacher of social economics IA
vored her associates with her views on
THE Conservative Role of Bacteria in
Nature 1t can but be gratifying to all
women and some men to know that bac-
terra are conservative, the teachings of
male scientists having led to the disquiet-
ing belief that the microbe family is not
only not of the mugwump order, but is
rankly and extensively partisan. A New Jer-
sey lady described 1.-The Way of Climbing
Plants" With singular lack of apprecia-
ton of important matter the local reporters
neglect to give the outlines of this paper
The New Jersey lady, of course, alluded
TO trees under the generic and botanic title
of plants and it would be gratifying to
many women in these days of wheels and
incursons into the realms of the threaten
ing COW to understand the approved, scien-
tifc way of climbing trees. Under ordinary
circumstances of course, the convenient
wav for women of mature years is to use
a stepladder, but it is desirable to be pre-
pared for emergencies when cows and no
ladder are at hand. Another dissertation
related to IAN Undescribed Psylla," while
another that held every woman breathless
was on Jumping Spiders" But the chief
interest of the day conferred in thrilling
account of the life and habits of the myr-
meleon. otherwise known as the antillion,
or. more Familiarity. the doodle bug.
Everybody of rural antecedents has had in
his youthful days a speaking acquaintance
with the doodle bug and is glad to hear of
him in such distinguished company. 1t is
also gratifying TO know that he was on his
best behavior when studied scientifically
The lady who related the results of her OBJ
servations informed her wondering hearers,
who, 1t would seem. had not met the bug
before. that she had experimental with
whistling. singing. chirping and other
sounds. but that no other call than that of
doodle brought 1t out Of its tunnel. while it
answered to that name invariably. Thus
does scientific research confirm the con-