NATURAL SCIENCE: 



A Monthly Review of Scientific Progress. 



No. 53. Vol. IX. JULY. 1896. 



NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



The Age of Laboratories. 



IN the course of a lecture given at the opening of a laboratory for 

 clinical medicine in Philadelphia (see Johns-Hophins Hospital 

 Bulletin, no. 58, January, 1896), Dr. W. H. Welch, Professor of 

 Pathology in the University, expressed regret that a historical study of 

 the development of laboratories had not yet been undertaken. The 

 earliest account that we have of laboratories is of those associated with 

 the magnificent library and museums of Alexandria. A vast amount 

 of anatomical work was performed there, and, from the fragmentary 

 evidence that is left us, it seems plain that physiological investigation 

 was conducted in a fashion that would justify some of the extremest 

 diatribes of the Anti- Vivisection Society's emissaries. But if we leave 

 anatomy and chemistry out of account, laboratories for the combined 

 purposes of research and teaching are creations of the present century, 

 while the greater number of them date from after the year 1870. A 

 mere list of the subjects for the study of which there exist properly- 

 equipped special laboratories would be of great interest, and would 

 astonish even the most well-informed man. No doubt an enormous 

 amount of valuable work has been done in cellars like those in which 

 Bernard began his investigations in Paris, or Lord Kelvin his physical 

 investigations at Glasgow. Men of first-rate ability transcend the con- 

 ditions under which they work, but the average man who could do only 

 bad work under bad conditions, if placed in a first-rate laboratory will 

 turn out good work. Professor Welch quotes what Wurtz said of the 

 money expended upon laboratories : " It is a capital placed at a high 

 rate of interest, and the comparatively slight sacrifice imposed upon 

 one generation will bring to following generations increase of well- 

 being and knowledge." 



Species-work as Educational Training. 



It is a novel experience to find ' systematic ' study of species 

 included in an educational curriculum. In a paper entitled " The 

 Bees of the genus Perdita, ¥. Smith" {Pvoc. Acad. N at. Sci. Philadelphia, 



