MICROBIOLOGY AND INDUSTRY 



management of every industry. I may here refer, for example, to the 

 studies of Pfeiffer showing that the rate at which various kinds of 

 wood are decomposed under the influence of methane producing bac- 

 teria may provide important indications as to the durability of these 

 materials in actual practice. 



Biochemical sugar determinations can certainly be of importance 

 in the scientific control of the fermentation industries, in particular if 

 new raw materials are being used ; a good example is furnished by the 

 gradually developing alcohol manufacture from sawdust. 



And microbiological studies can be of importance even for the more 

 remote petroleum industry. With the aid of micro-organisms that can 

 decompose the hydrocarbons of the paraffin series, and that had pre- 

 viously been studied by Sohngen, Tausz and Peter recently accom- 

 plished the isolation of naphthenes, not attacked by these bacteria, from 

 mixtures of naphthenes with paraffin hydrocarbons. This represents a 

 separation that offered well-nigh insurmountable difficulties when at- 

 tempted by purely chemical methods, even in Engler's laboratory. 



It would not be difficult to cite many more instances, but I must 

 already have taxed your attention unduly. 



The famous biologist, Huxley, calculated at one time that the econ- 

 omic advantages that France reaped from Pasteur's fundamental 

 microbiological discoveries were sufficient to pay, during a period of 

 only twenty years, for the entire war debts incurred in the war of 

 1870 — 1 87 1, debts that were then considered stupendous. Is it too bold 

 to propose that, as a consequence of the above discussion, we may 

 expect that during the next few decennia microbiological science may 

 significantly contribute to an alleviation of the economic consequences 

 of the world war? 



Before closing I must, however, dispose of a misapprehension that 

 may have arisen out of the previous remarks. I have used the time at 

 my disposal largely to give you an idea of the great importance of 

 microbiological applications in industry. But I should not like to 

 leave you with the impression that the study of general or theoretical 

 microbiology, which I shall also have to teach, appeals less strongly 

 to me ; nothing could be farther from the truth. 



When Leibniz once urged Van Leeuwenhoek to see to it that his 

 method for grinding microscope lenses would be transmitted to later 

 generations, Van Leeuwenhoek replied : 



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