THE ART OF SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION 



Research work progresses in an irregular manner and only 

 occasionally is the scientist hotly pursuing a new discovery. It is 

 then he needs to pour all his energies into the work and think of 

 it day and night. If he has the true scientific spirit he will want 

 to do this and it is crippling if circumstances prevent it. The 

 research man's family usually understand that if he is to be a 

 creative scientist, there are times when it is most important for 

 him to be spared other responsibilities and worries as much as 

 possible; and likewise his colleagues at the laboratory usually try 

 and help with any other commitments he may have in the way 

 of routine work or administration. This help is not Hkely to be a 

 burden on his associates or family because these spurts are all too 

 rare with most people. Perhaps two to six intervals each of a 

 week or two every year might be average, but they will vary 

 enormously from one individual to another. However, these 

 remarks should not be misconstrued as an encouragement to 

 develop an "artistic temperament" and lack of responsibility in 

 everyday affairs ! 



When Simon Flexner was planning the Rockefeller Institute he 

 was asked "are you going to allow your men to make fools of 

 themselves at your Institute?" The implication was that only 

 those who would risk doing so were likely to make important 

 discoveries. The research man must not be put off his ideas by 

 fear of being ridiculous or being said to have "a bee in his 

 bonnet". It sometimes requires courage to put forward and follow 

 up a novel idea. It will be remembered that Jenner confided his 

 proposals about vaccination to a friend under a bond of secrecy 

 for fear of ridicule. 



When I asked Sir Alexander Fleming about his views on 

 research his reply was that he was not doing research when he 

 discovered penicillin, he was just playing. This attitude is typical 

 of many bacteriologists who refer to their research as "playing 

 about" with this or that organism. Sir Alexander believes that 

 it is the people who play about who make the initial discoveries 

 and the more systematic scientists who develop them. This 

 expression, "playing about", is significant for it clearly means 

 that the scientist is doing something for his own enjoyment, to 

 satisfy his own curiosity. However, with the incompetent person 

 "playing about" may amount to nothing more than ineffectual 



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