206 THE PATH OF SCIENCE 



in processes or a cheapening in the cost of manufacture will 

 suffice, but fundamental work is required in the whole field 

 in which the manufacturing firm is interested. For this pur- 

 pose something very different from the usual plant laboratory 

 is needed, and to inaintain progress, the w^ork of the research 

 laboratory must be directed primarily toward the funda- 

 mental theory of the subject. This is a point that has some- 

 times been overlooked in discussions of industrial scientific 

 research, much stress being generally laid upon the imme- 

 diate returns to be obtained from plant laboratories and upon 

 the advantage of scientific control of the operations. But in 

 every case where the effect of research ^vork in industry is 

 very marked, that work has been directed not toward the 

 superficial processes of industry, but toward the fundamental 

 and underlying theory of the subject. 



According to C. M. A. Stine of the Du Pont Company: 



Fundamental research and what may be termed "pio- 

 neering applied research" should be differentiated. The 

 distinction is based principally upon the scope of the work 

 and the extent to which it is limited by certain recognized 

 practical objectives. In general, research undertaken upon 

 some broad general subject, such as the structure of cellu- 

 lose, belongs to the category of fundamental research. 



On the other hand, if a company engaged in the produc- 

 tion of textiles coated with cellulose derivatives, or in the 

 manufacture of photographic film, or of other products 

 utilizing derivatives of cellulose, undertakes research aimed 

 at the development of new cellulose derivatives, in the hope 

 of developing such derivatives as might exhibit useful prop- 

 erties fitting them for application in manufactured prod- 

 ucts, the w^ork becomes pioneering applied research. After 

 the discovery of a new cellulose derivative and the evalua- 

 tion of its properties, the next step might be actually to 

 manufacture it, wiiereupon the investigation assumes the 

 complexion of ordinary applied research. 



The investigation of monomolecular films by a producer 

 of electrical equipment might be fundamental research, 

 whereas the investigation of monomolecular films by an 

 oil refiner engaged in the production of lubricants might 

 be largely in the field of applied research. Thus, the classi- 



