Genetic Neurology — Paul Weiss 



31 



PROMOTION 



It is evident that intensified research in 

 the field will automatically produce greater 

 familiarity with its problems and realiza- 

 tion of its potentialities, and thus, in turn, 

 attract personnel and funds, which were 

 listed above as being in inadequate supply. 

 It is significant to note, however, that in 

 assessing the presumable causes of re- 

 tardation, the interrogated group assigned 

 the greatest weight not to lack of funds 

 and trained personnel, but to the "lack 

 of explicit formulation of the problems 

 of genetic neurology," or in other words, 

 to the lack of awareness of the fundamental 

 and practical implications and of the vast 

 needs and opportunities for work in the 

 field. It is to be expected that if and when 

 the field is provided with the missing focus, 

 this fact will of itself produce the neces- 

 sary impetus, whereupon problems of funds 

 and personnel should gradually resolve 

 themselves. 



The answers of the questionnaire re- 

 garding remedial measures are wholly in 

 line with this conclusion (table, appendix 

 B, 4). The replies to the question "What 

 measures would contribute most effectively 

 to further invigoration of genetic neurol- 

 ogy?", gave about equal weight to "con- 

 ferences" and "research funds," which clear- 

 ly expresses the general concern about in- 

 adequate articulation and integration of 

 the field. Research fellowships and grad- 

 uate courses were given a lesser rating. It 

 must be stressed, however, that fellowships 

 granted to individuals competent in one 

 branch of neurology for work on problems 

 or techniques overlapping one or several 

 disciplines related to genetic neurology 

 would add immeasurably to the promotion 

 and diffusion of knowledge and interest in 

 the field. 



Specifically, the following measures 



should be envisaged. ( 1 ) A textbook or 

 monographic survey of the field. (2) Per- 

 iodic conferences among workers in gen- 

 etic neurology proper and bordering areas. 

 (3) Development of short "workshop" 

 courses to acquaint workers of related fields 

 with basic techniques applicable to re- 

 search in genetic neurology (comparable 

 to the Cold Spring Harbor courses in "Op- 

 erative Techniques" and "Phage," or the 

 technical courses sponsored by the Tissue 

 Culture Commission ) . ( 4 ) Compilation of 

 a complete bibliography of genetic neurol- 

 ogv. (5) Designation of national predoc- 

 toral and postdoctoral fellowships for ad- 

 vanced training. (6) Procurement of re- 

 search funds. (7) No special measures in 

 the matter of publication seem to be called 

 for at present other than perhaps a bulletin 

 service (mimeographed) for the establish- 

 ment of rapid information, closer relations, 

 and more extensive communication among 

 workers in the focal and marginal fields. 



Genetic neurology emerges not as a new 

 split product in the growing fragmentation 

 of sciences into specialties, but rather as a 

 product of recombination and resynthesis. 

 As such, it is beginning to assume the iden- 

 tity of a separate discipline, and any or- 

 ganizational measures that would aid in its 

 consolidation and maturation would, of 

 course, be beneficial. But the primary 

 need is for men with imagination and per- 

 spective. The great opportunities of gene- 

 tic neurology lie in areas where conspic- 

 uous progress can still be made with rel- 

 atively simple means, hence, at compara- 

 tively low expense. The foremost require- 

 ment at the moment, therefore, seems to 

 be to attract gifted and resourceful inves- 

 tigators, to impress them with the wealth 

 of existing chances for fundamental dis- 

 coveries and provide them with adequate 

 working conditions, including sufficient 

 technical personnel. 



