478 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



With regard to grants for medical research, it may be 

 recalled that under the terms of the National Health Insurance 

 Act a sum of about £56,000 is expected to be available annually 

 for purposes of research and investigation. A start was made 

 early last year (iQi4),when a Medical Research Committee was 

 formed with Lord Moulton as Chairman and Dr. W. M. 

 Fletcher, F.R.S., as Secretary. The first annual Report of 

 this Committee has recently been presented to Parliament. 

 It is not possible here to give an adequate account of the large 

 amount of research work inaugurated by the Committee, but 

 attention may be directed to one important development. On 

 the outbreak of war, the Committee at once modified its original 

 plans and laid itself out to give assistance to Government 

 Departments, especially to the Army Medical Department. 

 The report shows, for instance, that the Bacteriological Section, 

 under the direction of Sir Almroth Wright, has given the whole 

 of its time and services to the investigation of problems arising 

 directly out of the war. As an example may be mentioned the 

 very important researches into the pathology and treatment of 

 infected wounds. Other departments of research have also 

 conducted special inquiries into matters more or less connected 

 with the war, such as poison gases, the synthesis of certain 

 drugs, statistics of sick and wounded, typhoid and allied in- 

 fections, and cerebro-spinal fever. From this work, in one 

 short year valuable results have accrued which have already 

 saved many lives, greatly lessened the sufferings of the wounded, 

 and prevented the spread of epidemic disease. The war, in- 

 deed, has given to the Medical Research Committee a unique 

 opportunity of demonstrating to the Government and the 

 nation in a way that can be readily appreciated by the lay mind 

 that money given for purposes of research is one of the soundest 

 forms of national investment. 



H. S. W. 



Medicinal Plants in Queensland 



There is a shortage in certain lines of medicinal plants in 

 Queensland, of which Germany was the main source of supply, 

 and the question of local production is being seriously considered 

 in the Commonwealth. Definite action has been taken, and a 

 board has been appointed to inquire into the whole matter, and 

 if possible, to establish the cultivation of medicinal plants on 



