JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OI COSMETIC CHEMISTS 317 Jesse H. Starkman, chairman, stated that the membership is growing steadily and that a "stable" membership totalling 50 to 60 members was contemplated by July 1st. NEW YORK CHAPTER NEWS D•.. JOHN M. LONGFELLOW was installed as the 1960 Chairman of this chapter. The other officers elected to serve are: Chairman-Elect Saul Bell Treasurer, Martin Katz Secretary, Miss Agnes Korte. On February 3rd two speakers presented current work on histology and in vitro maintenance of skin. Dr. Moire Bradshaw of the Isaac Albert Institute--Jewish Chronic Diseases Hospital, Brooklyn, N.Y., discussed a technique for determining the extent of percutaneous absorption of lipids through normal skin as demonstrated by a fat soluble dye--Sudan Black B. Biopsies of skin to which the dye in lipids was applied were prepared for histological studies and the presence of the black dye taken as the measure of lipid penetration. Dr. Bradshaw's color slides clearly demonstrated the superiority of cryo- static sections over gelatin sections for this type of work. She further pointed out that animal studies are not applicable to human skin due to the difference in enzymes and skin structure. The second paper, by Angelica Findley and Ronald Gillette, was delivered by Miss Finalley. She described work on homotransplantation of human and animal tissue at the New York Hospital--Cornell Medical Center. Two salient limiting factors in maintaining organ cultures of skin are: 1960 officers of New York Chapter of Society of Cosmetic Chemists: Martin Katz, Treasurer Agnes Korte, Secretary John Longfellow, Chairman Saul Bell, Chairman Elect.

318 JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS (1) supplying adequate nourishment and (2) preventing dedifferentiation to embryonic form. Thin sections of skin were "floated" on a complex nu- trient medium for optimum diffusion. Dedifferentiation was prevented with cortisone acetate in the culture flask. The criterion for successful maintenance of structural integrity is the subsequent successful grafting of the skin to the original donor. Mr. H. P. Donohue, Jr., Godfrey L. Cabot, Inc., presented a paper on the properties and applications of pyrogenic silica at the March 9th meeting. The speaker pointed out some applications of pyrogenic silica based on its properties of chemical inertness, ability to thicken polar and nonpolar sys- tems to form thixotropic structures and power to suspend solids. Pyro- genic silica has been approved by the F.D.A. for a number of uses, including internal use in certain amounts. The Annual Ladies' Night Dinner and Dance was held April 22nd at the Diamond Horseshoe, New York City. Meetings of the Chapter are held in the Terrace Room of the Hotel New Yorker, West Thirty-fourth Street and Eighth Avenue, New York City. INCREASE IN DUES Membership dues for the U.S. Society of Cosmetic Chemists will be in- creased to $20.00 per year starting January, 1961.