VAUGHAN ON VALUE OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH TO STATE. 33 



cal linos, and the Imperial Government has established at Frankfort a 

 laboratory of research which is under the direction of Ehrlich, who is 

 probably the most fitted man in physioloijical work now living;. There 

 are indications that some of the walthy men in onr own country are 

 bejrinning to appreciate the <rreat value of scientific research. The recent 

 establishment of the Rockefeller Institute, nnd the still more recent gift 

 of Mr. Carnegie for research work, are illustrations along this line. The 

 United States government has sustained certain lines of research which 

 have been very creditable but it must be admitted that political influences 

 have had more to do with the establishment of the scientific bureaus at 

 Washington than love of science itself. While a great deal of valuable 

 work has been done in the bureau of animal industry, and in other de- 

 partments, notably at the Smithsonian, the object had in view in estab- 

 lishing and maintaining these laboratories has been more directly for the 

 purpose of securing votes than it has with any full appreciation of the 

 value of scientific discovery. However, I do not desire to pose as a critic 

 of my own country or as one who always sees things to admire abroad 

 and things to condemn at home, and I believe that the future for scientific 

 research in this country is as bright as that in any other part of the 

 world. If we are to continue to move ahead, this must be true. Even if 

 we have no higher aim than that of commercial supremacy, which this 

 nation seems to be fast acquiring, we must encourage scientific research. 

 There are many problems in applied science, the solution of which must 

 be demanded very soon. Some of these may be briefly mentioned. Our 

 dairy products are known to be inferior to those of certain other 

 countries, — notably Denmark. This is largely, if not altogether due to 

 the fact that in Denmark cream is always pasteurized and is then inocu- 

 lated with a culture of germs which have been found to give the best 

 flavor. This of course tells largely in butter making. The ripening of 

 cream is due to the growth of germs and every cubic centimeter of 

 ripened cream contains an average of about four hundred millions of 

 bacteria. At present in this country the kind of germs present depends 

 upon the accidental contaminations of the various barnyards in which 

 the milk is gathered, and of course no uniform result is obtained. In 

 • Denmark the law makes it obligatory upon every maker of butter to 

 pasteurize the cream by heating it to a temperature of 70°-72° and then 

 allowing to cool. This destroys all the germs present, and then the cream 

 is inoculated with cultures of those germs which have been found by 

 experience to be beneficial. The pasteurization of all milk which goes to 

 a creamery in Denmark has the advantage not only of securing for 

 Danish butter several cents a pound more in the English markets, but 

 also of destroying the tubercle bacillus, which may be present. Steril- 

 ization and subsequent inoculation with pure cultures gives a butter 

 which is uniformly good. It is true that in this country pure cultures, 

 known as starters, have been employed to some extent, but as a rule these 

 cultures are added to unsterilized cream. In other words, they are mixed 

 in with the germs tluit are already growing in the cream. After this, it 

 depends upon accident which will crowd the other out of existence. We 

 need a more thorough study of the bacteriology of cheese, be- 

 cause the flavor of this very valuable article of diet is largely dependent 

 upon the bacteria and molds present. There is also room for improve- 

 ment in many other food articles which we export. There is opportunity 

 for most excellent work to be done upon the blending of wheats in order 

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