for the Association for the
Advancement of Science meeting at Nashville. Dallas, which is to be the
centre of operations, is a thriving town in the grazing region of Texas,
and is a good place for the study of botany and zooelogy.

Another lake excursion is projected by the Institute of Mining
Engineers, who expect to spend two weeks in visiting the famous mining
districts of that region. Though not precisely a "summer school," this
will be both a professional and social excursion.

A committee of Wisconsin teachers recommend the introduction of this
system of summer schools in that State. They want to have a class formed
under Prof. T. C. Chamberlin, State geologist, to commence at St. Croix
Falls, and make geological, zooelogical, and botanical studies down the
Mississippi to Rock Island. Headquarters would be on a large boat.

Directors of other summer schools are requested to send notices of the
work they are planning to do to the office of this magazine.

* * * * *

AN INTELLIGENT QUARANTINE.

The quarantine history of New York was quite remarkable in 1876. Yellow
fever was epidemic at several ports along the Gulf and Atlantic coast,
and no less than 363 vessels came into New York from those ports,
ninety-nine of which had the disease on board, either during the voyage
or in port. Under these circumstances, it may be supposed that the
authorities were not disposed to encourage commerce between the city
and the infected towns. Philadelphia and Baltimore adopted an
interdiction of all trade with Savannah, as a precaution. But a bolder
and wiser policy has gradually been introduced into the New York
quarantine. Instead of being a loser by the yellow fever, that city was
called upon to take the whole trade, and did so without hesitation,
though the voyage from Charleston and some other ports occupied less
time than the average incubation period of the disease, which might be
introduced unnoticed into the city unless preventative measures were
taken. Orders were given to receive no passengers from the afflicted
cities, so that the quarantine authorities had only the cargo and crew
to deal with. The ship was thoroughly fumigated and the cargo
discharged as rapidly as was consistent with safe supervision. This
rapid discharge is advised because a ship's heated hold is just the
place for the full development of the fomites. If the cargo does carry
the germs of the disease, the