Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 66.djvu/295

Rh These meetings represent a culminating point in the history of the association, and an important epoch in the development of science. Until 1882 there were only two sections of the association, one for the exact sciences and one for the natural sciences. But at about this period specialization and differentiation became imperative. The conditions Ave re in part met by dividing the association into sections, but more adequately by the establishment of special societies. The American Society of Naturalists was organized in 1883, and has since held winter meetings, the membership being confined to professional students of the natural sciences. The American Chemical Society had been established in 1870: the Geological and Mathematical Societies were organized in 1888. Since that time special societies have been founded for all the leading sciences, and there is a tendency for them to divide into branches for the different sections of the country.

The establishment of these special societies represents an important advance, but its first effect was to weaken the parent association. Professional men of science found the amateur element too prominent in the summer meeting and the time was inconvenient for many of them. In spite of the great increase in the numbers of scientific men in the country, the meetings became smaller and the membership decreased. But this was only a temporary phase. The interests of men of science are not exactly limited by the conventional bounds of a single science. A zoologist, for example, may be interested in anatomy, physiology, pathology, paleontology, geography, botany, psychology, chemistry or some other science. It is also the case that those who attend the annual meetings like to see their friends from other parts of the country who may be working in fields remote from their own. It is advantageous consequently for the special societies to meet in groups at times,