implements, (5) bone implements, (6) clam shells, (7) ashes and charcoal. B. Objects which do not certainly bear testimony to human occupancy: (8) Flint flakes, (9) animal bones, (10) sandstone fragments, (11) polished rocks. It will be obviously impossible in a paper of this kind to do more than simply mention these objects. All detailed study must be reserved for those more skilled in the discussion of such data. Human Bones.-Fragments of at least four human skeletons were discovered in the ashes. One of these skeletons, including a skull in a good state of preservation, was nearly complete. Pottery.-Fragments of at least six vessels were found, including one handle. Several of the fragments were decorated. Flint Implements.-Chipped flint implements are quite common, more than one hundred specimens having been found. These implements include arrow points, drills, spear points, knives, scrapers, etc., as well as cores from which knives were obtained. The flint is in most cases similar to that found on the hills near by, but in some cases it is believed to have been carried for considerable distances. Stone Implements.-One large stone mortar was found, as well as hammer stones, a stone hatchet and stones used for sharpening implements. Bone Implements.-Several awls, needles, scrapers and other implements fashioned from bone were secured. Clam Shells.-A number of shells of Unio were taken from the ashes. At least two genera are represented, both probably being found at the present time in Sugar Creek. Ashes and Charcoal.-As stated above, the floor of the cave was covered to the depth of some three feet with wood ashes. A conservative estimate would place the amount of ashes at 5,000 cubic feet. Intermingled with the ashes was a large amount of charcoal varying in size from small specks to lumps the size of a walnut. It was in the ashes that the other objects mentioned in this paper were found. Flint Flakes.-Thousands of flakes of flint were found in the ashes and embedded in the stalagmites. This flint varies in size from small slivers to pieces the size of the hand. Careful search was made along the walls and roof of the cave to detect the presence of flint in the limestone, but without success. There is plenty of flint at a horizon fifty feet higher, but so far as known there is none in the strata in which the cave is located. For this reason it is believed that the flint was carried into the cave. Animal Bones.-Great numbers of bones of various animals, including mammals, birds and turtles, were found among the ashes and embedded in the stalagmites. These bones have not yet been identified but it is probable that a large part of them are those of living species. Sandstone Fragments.-A number of small pieces of unshaped sandstone were obtained. The nearest point, so far as known, where sandstone outcrops is four miles distant from the cave, in the vicinity of White Rock. It seems probable that the sandstone has been carried into the cave. Polished Limestone.-A number of flat limestone slabs that have fallen from above, both just within the cave's mouth and particularly along the foot of the bluff a few feet distant, have been polished or glazed apparently by the friction or contact of greasy bodies. These polished rocks are invariably in such a position as most readily to serve as seats or reclining places for the inhabitants of the cave. There are more than twenty of these slabs that exhibit this peculiar structure. CHARLES NEWTON GOULD. NEW TERMS IN CHEMISTRY. Ir may not be out of place to call attention to several new terms which have recently been submitted to the English-speaking scientific world and to discuss their merits. However reluctant we may be, in view of possible misunderstandings, to accept new words and phrases, the need of them is often unquestionable, and it only remains for us to determine the proper forms which the words shall take. The discoverer of a new idea can with comparative ease decide how it shall be expressed in his own language, but when the new word or phrase is translated into another language and there is no one to dictate its form, confusion is very liable to result. The following terms appear to be slowly creeping in from the German in one dress or another, and, whatever forms the words may have, already assumed in English, it may safely be said that the writers and translators who have used them are more desirous that there should be correctness and uniformity than that personal preferences should prevail. Mol, or mole.-' Gram-molecule' has become so common a word that a contraction of it seems desirable. Ostwald (in German) took the familiar abbreviation of Molekül, or Molekel, viz., Mol., dropped the period and made it an independent word as a substitute for Grammmolekül. The term has already appeared as 'mol' in at least four English texts (three American and one British); Ostwald's translator, however, renders it 'mole.' The choice between the two words may become easier after a consideration of their merits. Mol' has (1) the same spelling as the German original; (2) it is a new word and does not already have several meanings, as does mole.' On the other hand, it may be said for mole' that (1) it is pronounced like the German original and (2) is its proper and euphonious English equivalent, especially if it is premised that the word is actually of Latin derivation (from moles) and that there is no necessity of conforming precisely to the German spelling. Further, (3) 'mol,' if spelled as pronounced, would be 'moll.' Moreover, (4) mol' is easily confused with mol.,' the common abbreviation of 'molecule.' Inasmuch (5) as 'molecule' is a diminutive of moles, or 'mole,' the latter term might very properly be used for 'gram-molecule.' (6) The counter-argument that 'mole' is already in the dictionary with four or five meanings may be discounted by those who regard the addition of one to five as of no great consequence. In the light of the above arguments 'mole' seems to have the advantage, though neither word is entirely satisfactory. Perhaps 'grammole' would be better than either; it has almost every qualification except extreme brevity. Molar. We undoubtedly need a word to characterize a solution standardized on a molecular basis (instead of on the usual analytically equivalent basis) and 'gram-molecular,' as well as molecular-equivalent,' is too long. 'Molar' sounds well. The principal objection to it is that it already has a meaning in physical science 'opposed to molecular'! If 'molar' is to become the contraction of 'gram-molecular,' 'mole' would be the analogous contraction of 'gram-molecule.' Metal-ammonia compounds. It is rather difficult for the beginner to understand the German terminology of these interesting compounds, but the English texts, because of lack of uniformity, make the case almost hopeless. One popular text misleads us at the start by calling them 'metallammonium compounds.' English investigators in this field would do well to aid us in securing uniformity. Hydroperoxide.-An abbreviation of 'hydrogen peroxide.' That Hydroperoxyd has much advantage over Wasserstoff superoxyd is readily seen, but just why we should drop three letters from 'hydrogen peroxide' is not so clear. It should be borne in mind that the per in hydrogen peroxide' is derived from an unreliable nomenclature. In view of the possibility of the existence of a still higher oxide of hydrogen, either (HO) or HO 'hydrogen dioxide' seems to be the only safe name for the compound H2O.. mn' Activate. There is probably little objection to the revival of this practically obsolete word to express an effect on a substance by which it is rendered more active chemically. H. C. COOPER. SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY. CURRENT NOTES ON METEOROLOGY. CLIMATE AND CROPS IN THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC. 'THE Economic Geography of the Argentine Republic' is discussed by J. Russell Smith in the Bulletin of the American Geographical Society for April (pp. 130-143), especial emphasis being laid on the relation of the staple products of the soil to climatic conditions. Argentina is not unlike the region between the Missouri and Mississippi river systems and the watershed of the Rocky mountains. The rainfall decreases towards the interior in both regions, with a corresponding change in vegetation. Argentina essentially duplicates the United States in having in the northeast a rainy forest belt; then a corn belt and a wheat belt; then a wide stretch of semi-arid and arid plain, and at the base of the Andes, agricultural settlements depending upon irrigation supplied by water from the Andean snowfields. In the north, with heavy rainfall, dense tropical forests are found. Cattle extend north even into the district of heavy rainfall in the northeastern territories, while horses do not thrive in a rainfall of more than fifty-five inches in the Argentine, and sheep are found south of the isohyetal line of forty inches. Being able to endure cold and hunger, sheep succeed as far south as the southern shores of Patagonia, and even of Tierra del Fuego. The north, west and south, because of excess or deficiency or unfavorable distribution, of rainfall, are not adapted for wheat, the wheat district being a rough parallelogram in the eastern central part of the country. Corn, owing to its requirement of summer rains and its ability to withstand higher relative humidity, finds favorable conditions in the eastern part of the wheat region, and in the more humid northeast. In the valleys of western Argentina, where water is available for irrigation, crops are grown more independently of rainfall. KITE-FLYING IN SCOTLAND AND THE CYCLONE THEORY. UNDER the auspices of the Royal Meteorological Society, for seven weeks during the summer of 1902 kites were flown with great regularity from a tug off the west coast of Scotland. The suggestion of flying kites in this way came originally, it will be remembered, from Mr. A. Lawrence Rotch, of Blue Hill Observatory. Mr. W. H. Dines, in a brief account of the work (Nature, June 18), states that, although the evidence from the summer's work was not sufficient to be conclusive, so far as it went it tended to show that as a cyclone approaches the decrease of temperature with altitude becomes less. Every cyclone that passed while the kite-flying was in progress showed this condition. This 'leads to the conclusion,' says Mr. Dines,' that the upper air in the neighborhood of a cyclone is relatively warm, and that the cyclones are convectional effects.' And thus we have another contribution to the cyclonic theory discussion, which has of late somewhat flagged. CARBON DIOXIDE IN LONDON RAILWAY CARRIAGES. THE examination of the air in the carriages and stations of the Central London Railway, carried out by Drs. Clowes and Andrewes (Nature, Vol. 68, p. 591) showed in the carriages a maximum amount of carbon dioxide of 14.7 volumes, and a minimum amount of 9.6 volumes, in 10,000 volumes of air. In an elevator, on one occasion, 15.2 volumes of CO, were found in 10,000 volumes of air. Dr. Clowes is of opinion that standard air at any point on the railway should not contain more than eight volumes of CO, in 10,000 of air. R. DEC. WARD. RADIUM AND CANCER. WE are permitted to print the following letters: BADDECK, N. S., July 21, 1903. DR. Z. T. SOWERS, 1707 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington, D. C. Dear Dr. Sowers: I understand from you that the Roentgen X-Rays, and the rays emitted by radium, have been found to have a marked curative effect upon external cancers, but that the effects upon deep seated cancers have not thus far proved satisfactory. It has occurred to me that one reason for the unsatisfactory nature of these latter experiments arises from the fact that the rays have been applied externally, thus having to pass through healthy tissues of various depths in order to reach the cancerous matter. The Crookes tube from which the Roentgen rays are emitted is of course too bulky to be admitted into the middle of a mass of cancer, but there is no reason why a tiny fragment of radium sealed up in a fine glass tube should not be inserted into the very heart of the cancer, thus acting directly upon the diseased material. Would it not be worth while making experiments along this line? Yours sincerely, (Signed) ALEXANDER GRAHam Bell. BADDECK, N. S., July 21, 1903. DR. A. GRAHAM BELL, Baddeck, N. S. Dear Dr. Bell: The suggestion which you make in regard to the application of the radium rays to the substance of deep seated cancer I regard as very valuable. If such experiments should be made, I have no doubt they would prove successful in many cases where we now have failures. Yours sincerely, (Signed) Z. T. SOWERS. THE RHODES SCHOLARSHIPS. THE trustees of the will of the late C. J. Rhodes have prepared a memorandum for the information of college authorities and intending candidates for scholarships in the United States, which states that the first election of scholars in the United States will be made between February and May, 1904. The elected scholars will commence residence in October, 1904. A qualifying examination will be held within this period in each state and territory, or at centers which can be easily reached. This examination is not competitive, but is intended to give assurance that all candidates are fully qualified to enter on a course of study at Oxford University. It will, therefore, be based on the requirements for responsions-the first public examination exacted by the university from each candidate for a degree. The Rhodes scholars will be selected from candidates who have successfully passed this examination. One scholar will be chosen for each state and territory to which scholarships are assigned. The committees and the universities making appointments will be furnished with a statement of the qualifications which Mr. Rhodes desired in the holders of his scholarships, and they will be asked in exercising their right of selection to comply as nearly as circumstances will permit with the spirit of the testator's wishes. They will also be asked to furnish to the trustees as full a statement as possible of the school and college career of each elected scholar, with the special grounds of his appointment, together with suggestions, if desired, as to the course of study for which he is best fitted. It has been decided that all scholars shall have reached at least the end of their sophomore, or second year work at some recognized degree-granting university or college of the United States. Scholars must be unmarried, must be citizens of the United States, and must be between nineteen and twenty-five years of age. Where several candidates present themselves from a single college or university, the committees of selection will request the faculty of the college to decide between their claims on the basis of Mr. Rhodes's suggestions, and present to the committee the name of the candidate chosen by that college as its representative in the final election. The president of the state university or college is in each of the following states chairman of the committee of selection for that state: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming. The following chairmen have been named for other states: Connecticut, President Arthur T. Hadley, LL.D., Yale University. Illinois, President W. R. Harper, Ph.D., D.D., University of Chicago. Kentucky, President D. B. Gray, D.D., Georgetown College. Maryland, President Ira Remsen, LL.D., Johns Hopkins University. Massachusetts, President Charles W. Eliot, LL.D., Harvard University. New Jersey, President Woodrow Wilson, LL.D., Princeton University. New York State, President Nicholas Murray, Butler, LL.D., Columbia University. Rhode Island, President W. H. P. Faunce, D.D., Brown University. In the following states appointments will be made by the chartered colleges and universities in rotation: California, University of California, Leland Stanford University, smaller colleges every seventh year. Maine (the order of rotation yet to be fixed). Vermont, University of Vermont, Middlebury College. Washington (the order of rotation yet to be fixed). SCIENTIFIC NOTES AND NEWS. DR. THEOBALD SMITH, professor of comparative pathology at Harvard University, has gone abroad, with a special view to studying the preparation of vaccine virus, which will hereafter be made at the Bussey Institute, of which Dr. Smith is director, under the auspices of the state of Massachusetts. PROFESSOR FRANCIS H. HERRICK, of Western Reserve University, has been granted leave of absence for the ensuing year. From August 1, 1903, he will be engaged in scientific study in Europe, and may be addressed at Elmhurst, Bushey Grove, Watford, Herts, England. Dr. C. W. Prentiss, of Harvard and recently of the University of Strasburg, Germany, and Mr. Carl B. Tames, formerly an assistant in the biological laboratory, have been made instructors in biology in Western Reserve University, and will have charge of Professor Herrick's work. DR. CARLSON has been appointed a research assistant by the Carnegie Institution for the coming year and will carry on his work in connection with the Physiological Laboratory of Stanford University and with its Seaside Laboratory on Monterey Bay. The subject of his investigations is 'The Mechanism of Inhibition of the Heart in Invertebrates.' MR. CHARLES J. BRAND, who for the past year has been assistant in plant economics at the Field Columbian Museum of Chicago, has been promoted to the position of assistant curator, Department of Botany, in that institution. Mr. Brand is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and secured his botanical training under Professor Conway MacMillan. DR. M. P. RAVENEL, of the University of Pennsylvania, has returned from Europe, where he has been making a special study of tuberculosis. THE daily papers report that Dr. H. C. Parker, of Columbia University, and Dr. C. E. Fay, of Tufts College, now engaged in explorations in the northern Rocky Mountains, have ascended Mt. Hungabee, the height of which was found to be 11,500 feet, and Mt. Goodsir, the height of which was found to be nearly 12,000 feet. DR. G. C. MARTIN has sailed from Seattle for the Kayak Island to investigate the oil fields for the Geological Survey. MR. CHARLES W. WRIGHT has left Washington to make, for the Geological Survey, an examination of the placer gold region known as the Porcupine district. This district lies close to the international boundary, a little south of west of Skagway and about twenty miles from tide water at Lynn Canal. MR. G. MARCONI is expected to arrive in America about the middle of August. PROFESSOR H. M. SAVILLE is spending the month of July in Mexico on behalf of the American Museum of Natural History. A part of the time will be devoted to the ruins of Mitla in order to complete his observations and obtain additional photographs for the report on the explorations recently carried on there by the Loubat expedition, and to make further studies of Zapotecan antiquities. While he is in the City of Mexico arrangements will be made for an exchange of archeological specimens between the Muséo Nacional and the American Museum. FRANK M. CHAPMAN, associate curator of mammalogy and ornithology, American Museum of Natural History, is in California collecting material for making a group on the Cadwalader fund. He has an artist with him, who will make a study of the region in which the birds are found. One of the proposed groups will represent the bird-life of the irrigated portions of the San Joaquin valley, |