Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-20
ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
IN SESSION AT THE
NATIONAL MUSEUM.
Papers on Various Topics Read and
Discussed-Draper Medal Pre-
sentation Tonight.

Scientists to the NUMBER OF hail d
bred were gathered in the lecture hall OF
the National Museum today for the second
session this year of the National Academy
of Sciences. Yesterday afternoon the be-
ginning of the reading and discussion Of
papers by the members was effected. This
program was followed today and many in
teresting points in the novelties Of science
were developed and elaborated by the ex-
perts calculating the subjects.
One Of the most interesting subjects
treated yesterday was that of George F.
Barker on "Radoactivity and Autolumin-
escence'' the speaker taking pains to care
fully illustrate the phenomena which have
been discovered in connection with uran1-
UNI, radium and many other elements. He
showed several photographs which had
been developed by this autoluminescence
and demonstrated to the members the beau
ties of the recent discoveries.
Luncheon was served to the members at
the dining hall In the museum DIR. Alex
ander Graham Bell will give reception to
the members and their guests this evening,
and later there will be dinner given them
by President Alexander Agassiz at the New
Willard At this dinner it Is intended to
have Prof. AgassiZ present, in the name Of
the academy, to Prof. George E. Hale the
Draper gold medal. This medal is awarded
occasionally, when circumstances warrant
it, as a special recognition of valuable
scientific researches or discoveries, and will
be given to Prof. Hale for his researches
in astronomy. He is director of the Yerkes
observatory, at Lake Geneva, Wis, and
has been very diligent in his work while
at that splendid astronomical workshop.
He is quite a young man, and unquestion-
ably has a bright future in the world of
science.
Papers to Be Submitted.
The entire list Of papers which will have
been read before the conclusion Of the meet
ing follows:
ION Fluorescence Spectra,'' E. L. Nichols
and Ernest Merritt; "Spectra of Gas at
High Temperatures" John Trowbridge;
Short Wave Lengths of Light Theodore
Lyman, presented by John Trowbrdge;
"Spectra Produced by the Wehnelt Inter-
rupter,' H. W. Morse, presented by John
Trowbridge; Mote on Radioactivity and
Autoluminescence,'' George F. Barker;
''Thorium, Carolinium, Berzelium, Chas.
Baskerville introduced by George F. Bark
err; "A Double Suspension Apparatus for
determining the Acceleration of Gravity"
r. S. Woodward; The Compressibility of
the Earth's Mass Required by the Laplacian
Law of Density Distribution" r. S. Wood
ward; THE Disposition of Rainfall In the
Basin of the Chagres," Henry L. Abbott;
Surface Friction of the Air at Speeds Be-
low Forty Feet Second A F. Zahm in
troduced by A. Graham Bell; physiological
Economy in Nutrition, with Special Refer
ence to the Minimal Proteid Requirement OF
the Healthy Man. A Preliminary Report"
r. H. Chittenden: Unsettled Problems in
the Evolution of the Horse Henry F. Os-
born: "Reclassification of the Reptilia,"
Henry f. Osborn Position of the Limbs in
the Sauropoda," w. D. Matthew, submit
ted by Henry F. Osborn; Relations of the
Parasuchia and of the Choristodera: Re-
searches by DR.. J. H. McGregor and Mr..
Barnum Brown" submitted by Henry F.
Osborn; "a Preliminary Report Upon Apo
cynum Cannaibinum,' Horatio c. Wood, jr.;
presented by Horatio c. Wood "Biographi-
cal Memoir of James Hadley" Arthur T.
Hadley, presented by the home secretary:
Biographical Memoir of Henry Barker
HILL" Charles L. Jackson.
Members Present.
The list OF Secretary Hague shows the fol-
lowing members to be in the city for the
meeting:
Col. Henry F. Abbott U. s. A. (retiredD;
President Alexander AggisiZ, j. Asaph AL
len of the American Museum of Natural
History; George F. Barker, the geoogist
sent by the government to examine into the
mineral resources of the Philippine Islands;
Col. John S. Billings. U. s. A. Tetired);
Lewis Boss of the Dudley Observatory,
Henry z. Bowdtch of Harvard Medical
School. George J. Brush, professor of min
eralogy of Sheffield Scientific School;
Charles T. Chandler of the Columbia Uni
versity; Russell II. Crttenden. director of
Sheffield Scientific School; James N. Crafts,
president of Massachusetts Institute Of
Technology; w. H. Dali of the National
Museum, Major Clarence E. Dutton, U. S.
a. retireD; Samuel F. Emmons of the
United States geological survey, W. G. Far
low, professor of cryptogramic botany of
Harvard; Grove K. Gilbert of the geological
survey, Theodore N. Gill of Smithsonian In
stitution, Arnold Hague of the geological
survey, George E. Hale chief of Yerkes OBJ
servatory; Samuel P. Langley, head of the
Smithsonian Institution; C. Hart Merriam,
chief of the United States biological sur
vey; Edward s. Morse, director of Peabody
Academy of Sciences; Simon Newcomb, Ed
ward L. Nichols, professor of physics of
Cornell University; H. F. Osborn, D. A.
Casta, professor of zoology of Columbia
University; Charles s. Pierce, Ira Remsen,
professor of chemistry of Johns Hopkins;
John Trowbridge Rumford, professor of ap-
piled sciences of Harvard; Charles D. Wal
colt, director of the geological survey: Ar
thur G. Webster, professor of physics of
Clark University; William H. WEIGH, pro-
lessor of pathology OF Johns Hopkins;
Horace L. Wells of Sheffield Scientific
School; Horatio c. Wood, chemist and phys
ician. and Robert s. Woodward of Columbia
University.