EXPERIMENT STATION REPORTS. 181 



tions to real completion without unnecessary delay. While in some 

 cases it is real economy to encourage an investigator to turn to new 

 prol)lems of a basic nature, leaving the application of his results to 

 others, as a rule the man who develops new principles is the one best 

 lifted by interest and knowledge of tlie subject to apply them. 



Many jtrocesses which work well in the laiboratory develop defects 

 wiien tried on a hirge scale. Many new methods of real value have never 

 gotten beyond this stage, because tliere was no one with sufficient inter- 

 est or technical knowledge to adapt the process to the new conditions. 

 Thus tliere is a great economic loss wliich can be overcome by proper 

 (ii'ganization. 



And, finally, to complete the work it is necessary to carry the results 

 to tliat part of tlie public whicli is dii-ectly concerned. Is the task com- 

 jileted wlien a teclmical i)aper is ])ublished in a scientific journal? If 

 its value lies in its use in investigational work it is usually sufficient to 

 make it available to otiier scientists but if it is sometliing which affects 

 estaiblished practices it is only a beginning. The inertia of public opinion 

 cannot be o\-ercome so easily. Even tlie medical profession, accustomed 

 as it is to rapid advance, cannot always lie reached by the printed word 

 alone. New develo]>iii('iits in agricultural science permeate very slowly 

 through tlic journals, the text books, and the teachers to the farms. 



Report of Researcli Associate G. L. A. Ruelile. 



As in previous years, the work of a popular nature consisted of answer- 

 ing letters relative to dairy and creamery hygiene. Several minor 

 ])rdblems have also been studied during the year, but none of them 

 yielded results of interest but two. One of these was no nearly related 

 to my major problem that the results will be reported at some future 

 date, and the other is being continued since more material for study- 

 ing is still available. The latter is concerned with a study of the cause 

 of liquefaction of a gelatin imbedding medium which contains con- 

 siderable arsenic and in which considerable heat is used in the process 

 of manufacture. The medium with its contained pathological speci- 

 mens remains solid for several years, when it spontaneously starts to 

 liquefy, usually in the deeper portions. When once, the liquefaction 

 starts (as a small bubble) it progresses rapidly until the whole mass 

 of medium is liquefied. At the present writing several bacterial species 

 have been isolated some of which can grow in the presence of 0.5 per 

 cent arsenic trioxide, ,but none of these organisms were present in con- 

 siderable numibers. Tlie problem may be related to one of those being 

 studied as a major problem and discussed below. 



The research work on Adams 1 b has been carried on as outlined in 

 my report of last year. About 200 cultures isolated from off-flavored 

 butters have been stvulied for their ability to produce off-flavors in 

 sterile milk. Some very interesting data have been secured which will 

 be pnblished as soon as the identifications and descriptions of the cul- 

 tures can be completed. This will probably be done within the next few 

 months. 



The work on the ability of spores and dead bacterial cells to release 

 enzymes significant in the spoilage of butter, is being continued with 

 interesting results. A ])aper entitled, "The enzymic content of bacterial 



