NOTES 499 



The quest goes to more and more remote times, to the famous Caves of Altamira, 

 of Marsoulas, and of Font de Gaume, which were in use " at a modest estimate 

 some ten thousand years earlier than the most ancient monuments of Egypt or 

 Chaldea." Here are pictures in colours, monochrome drawings and sculptures of 

 the men of the Reindeer Age that reveal an astounding level of artistic culture. 

 Back into these ages one can trace characteristics of religious belief and of 

 mundane life formerly held to be representative of much later periods. Evidence 

 is forthcoming to show that such culture was not isolated, but spread from Poland 

 and Russia to the Danube, the Rhine and parts of Spain and Britain. Later, in 

 the rock shelters of Alpera, are depicted Palaeolithic bowmen taking part in the 

 chase accompanied by dogs, and also two rival companies of archers. 



Continuity of civilisation from this time onwards can be traced with some 

 certainty, although the author opines that the junction of Palaeolithic and Neolithic 

 has not yet been recorded. Although more was known of the Neolithic much has 

 been added of recent years, and upon it the later civilisations were undoubtedly 

 built. The whole story is one of a wonderful interest, and its fascination is kept 

 up throughout. 



In Section A (Mathematical and Physical Section) the presidential address, 

 delivered by Prof. A. N. Whitehead, concerned the " Organisation of Thought." 

 Stress was laid from the outset upon the intimate relation between theory and 

 practice, and science likened to a river coming from these two sources, both of 

 which are equally important. Science itself is defined as the thought organisation 

 of experience, and a criterion of its success is its ability to formulate successfully 

 empirical laws. From its nature science is logical, and after ascribing the barren- 

 ness of logic for the past three or four centuries to its worship of authority, the 

 author proceeds to point out that there are four departments of logic. These are 

 characterised by their main aspect as arithmetic, algebraic, of general functions, and 

 analytic, the last including mathematics. The address closes on the note of the 

 interrelatedness of observation and logic, for " neither logic without observation 

 nor observation without logic can move one step in the formation of science." 



The present position and future prospects of chemistry form the main theme 

 chosen by Prof. G. G. Henderson for the presidential address to Section B 

 (Chemical Section). The main subject provided a number of side lines on which 

 it was possible to make a trenchant criticism of the laxity of the nation in regard 

 to things chemical, and more particularly the deadening attitude towards them 

 adopted by persons in power in the government of the country. A very brief and 

 general review of the progress in pure chemistry is given, noting particularly the 

 discovery of the Argon family of gases and radio-active elements. Applied 

 science has also made remarkable strides in the economic production of materials 

 at high and low temperatures, and the employment of electrolytic and catalytic 

 methods. Particularly important is the invention of the electric furnace, which 

 has enabled many useful substances to be fairly readily produced. In all these 

 matters England has taken her fair share. Certain proposals affecting the future 

 are also briefly dealt with. Some of the recommendations of the Advisory 

 Committee for Scientific and Industrial Research are approved, as is also the 

 suggestion to establish an Intelligence Bureau of the Board of Trade. A general 

 satisfaction with the possibilities of training young chemists is expressed, but 

 attention is directed to the need for the chemist to have a training in research, and 

 also in the desirability of manufacturers, individually or in association, founding 

 industrial research scholarships, thereby bringing the academic and manufacturing 

 worlds into closer contact. 



