Page:A Short History of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia (1909).djvu/49

Rh them. A conservative estimate places the value of the Academy's portion of the estate at half a million. It now became possible to broaden the work of the institution in various ways.

Among the sources of increase of the museum reported by the Curators year after year is the continued interest of the Rev. Dr. L. T. Chamberlain, who, out of regard for the memory of his father-in-law, Dr. Isaac Lea, has furnished cases for the arrangement of the collection of fossils associated with his name. He has provided for its increase by fitting out expeditions to the Eocene and Oligocene deposits of the South.

Having completed his fourth year as President of the Academy, General Wistar was succeeded by Dr. Samuel Gibson Dixon, who had been elected a member in 1890. Shortly after his election he had resigned his professorship of Hygiene in the Medical Department of the University of Pennsylvania and transferred his laboratory to the Academy, where he continued his bacteriological researches and perfected the biological product with which he had produced immunity to tuberculosis in the lower animals. He had been elected one of the four Curators at the annual meeting in 1891, and immediately instituted a number of reforms in the administration of the office. He was appointed Professor of Bacteriology and Microscopic Technology, October 24, 1892, and held the position until 1896, when he was compelled to relinquish it because of the pressure of other engagements.

The year 1896 was made memorable by the opening of the central section of the building and the consequent improvement in the arrangement of the collections.

Notable action was taken in May, 1899, when a revision of the By-Laws was adopted providing for important changes of administration. Assistant Curatorships were substituted for the Professorships, the clause limiting the possible continuous term of the Presidency to four years was repealed, and provision was made for the appointment of a Committee on Accounts in addition to the Committee on Finance.

The alteration of the By-Laws enabled the Academy to continue Dr. Dixon in the Presidency on the termination of his fourth year of service, and he has since been re-elected annually to the office. He has also served continuously as Executive Curator.