146 ANNUAL EEPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1934 



with active processes within living organisms, biochemistry has 

 become a true branch of progressive biology. It has opened up 

 modes of thought about the physical basis of life which could scarcely 

 be employed at all a generation ago. Such data and such modes of 

 thought as it is now providing are pervasive, and must appear as 

 aspects in all biological thought. Yet these aspects are, of course, 

 only partial. Biology in all its aspects is showing rapid progress, 

 and its bearing on human welfare is more and more evident. 



Unfortunately, the nature of this new biological progress and its 

 true significance is known to but a small section of the lay public. 

 Few will doubt that popular interest in science is extending, but it is 

 mainly confined to the more romantic aspects of modern astronomy 

 and physics. That biological advances have made less impression 

 is probably due to more than one circumstance, of which the chief, 

 doubtless, is the neglect of biology in our educational system. The 

 startling data of modern astronomy and physics, though of course 

 only when presented in their most superficial aspects, find an easier 

 approach to the uninformed mind than those of the new experimental 

 biology can hope for. The primary concepts involved are para- 

 doxically less familiar. Modern physical science, moreover, has been 

 interpreted to the intelligent public by writers so brilliant that their 

 books have had a great and stimulating influence. 



Lord Russell once ventured on the statement that in passing 

 from physics to biology one is conscious of a transition from the 

 cosmic to the parochial, because from a cosmic point of view life 

 is a very unimportant affair. Those who know that supposed parish 

 well are convinced that it is rather a metropolis entitled to much 

 more attention than it sometimes obtains from authors of guide- 

 books to the universe. It may be small in extent, but is the seat of all 

 the most significant events. In too many current publications, pur- 

 porting to summarize scientific progress, biology is left out or receives 

 but scant reference. Brilliant expositions of all that may be met in 

 the region where modern science touches philosophy have directed 

 thought straight from the implications of modern physics to the 

 nature and structure of the human mind, and even to speculation 

 concerning the mind of the Deity. Yet there are aspects of bio- 

 logical truth already known which are certainly germane to such 

 discussions, and probably necessary for their adequacy. 



VI 



It is, however, because of its extreme importance to social prog- 

 ress that public ignorance of biology is especially to be regretted. 

 Sir Henry Dale has remarked that " it is worth while to consider 

 today whether the imposing achievements of physical science have 



