REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1920. 17 



secure a competent advisory committee composed of eminent chem- 

 ists of the country to advise on the policy to be pursued in dealing 

 with investigators desiring the use of portions of type material in 

 the Loeb Collection. 



The general scheme has the sanction of various governmental 

 chemists, and the Bureau of Chemistry, Department of Agriculture, 

 favoring, the establishment of such a collection under the Museum 

 as the proper place for a national collection, offers hearty coopera- 

 tion, placing at the Museum's disposal in developing this project 

 any of the Bureau's resources in the way of personnel, equipment, 

 and supplies. 



The Bureau of Chemistry has itself started to make a collection of 

 the new substances made in the Bureau, and has developed a Special 

 Service for Research Chemists whereby it is furnishing necessary 

 quantities of rare chemicals for investigational purposes, the chief of 

 the Bureau having authority to sell such chemicals at cost. It has 

 accordingly been agreed that the Bureau will turn over to the 

 Museum any chemical types it possesses, as well as specimens of rare 

 chemicals. The Bureau will continue, however, to carry on its Special 

 Service and the index of rare and unique chemicals now maintained 

 by it. 



It is hoped shortly to reorganize the division, or section, of chem- 

 ical industries, in the department of arts and industries, begun in 

 1886. Insufficiency of funds prevents this being done at once. In 

 the meantime the Loeb Collection, as well as other chemical speci- 

 mens which the agitation of this subject will doubtless bring to the 

 Museum, will be cared for under the direction of one of the curators 

 in arts and industries. 



BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENT. 



The Museum was enabled this year to restore to prewar-time con- 

 dition the portions of the Natural History Building occupied by the 

 Bureau of War Risk Insurance, from the funds transferred from 

 the Bureau's appropriations. This was accomplished by pointing 

 up the damaged plastered Avails on the ground floor, by painting 

 walls and ceilings of halls occupied on that floor by the Bureau, 

 including foyer and rooms on both sides, comfort rooms, and stair- 

 ways from ground floor to third floor, and by painting the floors of 

 west range and rooms in lobby. 



The more important work completed in this building under the 

 appropriation for building repairs was the repairing of settlement 

 cracks in Venetian floors in exhibition halls, first and second floors, 

 9525°— 20 2 



