RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENT OF HEALTH 373 



to devise a cure for tuberculosis or cancer. In his research he must 

 think of something higher even than saving life or promoting health, 

 or he is likely to prove a failure at the lower level also. 



As an example of the wrong attitude of mind towards science, there 

 may be taken the point of view of those utilitarians who complain of 

 the amount of time and discussion at present being given to the prob- 

 lem of the origin of life. These wiseacres with limitations to their 

 brains say "that it is an insoluble problem, we shall never get to the 

 bottom of it, let us simply assume, since it is here, that life did origi- 

 nate somehow, and, taking this as an axiom, proceed to some practical 

 experimental problem; the origination of life does not lend itself to ex- 

 perimental inquiry." 



Now it is, strange to say, just those problems that appear most in- 

 soluble upon which the inquiring type of mind loves to linger and spend 

 its energies, and, although the problems never may be solved, the misty 

 solitudes to which they lead are glorious and the fitful gleams of half- 

 sunshine that come through are more kindling to the senses of such 

 men than the brightest sunshine on the barest of hills. It is here, and 

 in such quests, that the biggest of human discoveries are made and not 

 all of them are in natural science alone. 



The search after the mystery and origin of life had profound influ- 

 ence in raising man from a savage to a civilized human being, and is 

 found as an integral part in all religions above a certain level of sav- 

 agery. Much of the system of morals and ethics of civilized nations is 

 unconsciously grouped round this problem, and we owe the existence 

 of that social conscience which makes each of us our race's keeper to 

 our interest in the nature of life, and our ties with other lives. Leave 

 such a problem alone and attend to routine researches ! Why, the hu- 

 man intellect can not do it, such problems compel attention ! What, it 

 may be asked, was it that started all this routine research in biology, 

 in favor of which we are asked to abandon the search after the origin of 

 life? The routine research would not exist, but for a discovery made 

 in investigating whether life originated in a certain alleged way. 



If the whole science of bacteriology emerged from a proof that a 

 certain alley did not lead to the origin of life, how much more glorious 

 may that knowledge become that finally leads us to this goal, or even 

 one step onward in our true path towards it. The search after the 

 origin of life is an experimental inquiry, it leads straight to research, 

 that is all the physicist or chemist demands of a theory, it should be 

 enough for the biologist. We who search for this are not occultists 

 whatever may be said of those who oppose. 



Let us then learn to have a catholic spirit about research, and try 

 to convince the world that it commands devotion not merely because of 

 material advantages which it may bring, but because it is the most 



