114 



Academies and Societies 



Leod in Gent, 1897 (ten years before the Italian congress!). The history of that 

 Flemish congress from 1897 to 1944 was told in Dutch by one of the founders, 

 A. J. J. Van de Velde (Antwerpen 1944; Isis 39, 116). 



The publications of these national congresses constitute an important docu- 

 mentation for the study of the history of science, chiefly (but not exclusively) in 

 the countries concerned. The publications of the Swiss, German, British, American, 

 French and Italian congresses have also some international significance, because each 

 of these congresses invited or welcomed foreign guests. The scientific achieve- 

 ments of the nations using languages of international currency (chiefly EFGILS)'^ 

 are so considerable that the annual discussions of them are of interest not only to 

 the countries immediately concerned but also to a very large part of the civilized 

 world. 



mSarton: Tower of Babel (Isis 39, 3-15, 1948). 



