ORGANIZATION IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH. 53 



universities at the same time. For example, the department of geology 

 would have need for, let us say, a chemist, and a paleontologist, and 

 these might be employed for the special service, while they could still 

 belong primarily to their respective departments, either of the same 

 or of another university. 



The inquiry what effect such a system widely in vogue would 

 have on the individuality of workers in science is quite to the point. 

 Some, I fancy, would be apprehensive lest it should prove harmful to 

 this quality, of right so highly prized among men of science. I am 

 persuaded, however, that a little reflection will show that while in- 

 dividuality might now and then suffer, it would be the gainer in far 

 larger measure. On the whole, instead of being a heavy hand on inde- 

 pendent, individual effort, it would furnish opportunity and incentive 

 to it. For observe, it would be a system not of forcing investigators 

 into work, for which they should have neither taste nor fitness, but 

 rather of selecting them for tasks for which they would have both, and 

 then of giving them facilities and opportunities for following their 

 bent that they could not generally secure through their individual, 

 unaided efforts. 



How familiar a thing it is to all university men of science to see 

 a young man receive his doctor's degree as the reward of some re- 

 search carried to results with real zeal and talent; but then, under 

 stress of the necessity of earning a livelihood, carried off into some 

 position that affords little or none of either time, facility or incentive 

 for further prosecution of his central interest in science. 



There can be no doubt that science, in this country particularly, has 

 been and is a heavy loser from diversion and misapplication of its 

 forces, through the regimen under which research has to be prosecuted. 

 This loss is partly direct and absolute, and partly indirect, through the 

 detached and fragmentary character of what is done under the preva- 

 lent highly individualistic order. Of course, it would be idle to con- 

 tend that this order is wholly bad, or that all that is bad about it 

 could be corrected by such a system. That, however, coordination and 

 concentration through organization would be of even more advantage in 

 several sciences where now practically nothing of the sort exists, there 

 can be no doubt. Such a system largely in operation would un- 

 doubtedly work radical change in the means and methods of research in 

 numerous directions, but these need not be discussed here. One further 

 matter only do I mention. That is the question of the effect it would 

 have on instruction in science in the universities and colleges. It is 

 easy to see how to some extent instruction might suffer. It is still 

 easier to see how, on the other hand, it would be a very great gainer ; 

 and there can be hardly a question that the gain would far outweigh 

 the loss. 



