CHEMISTRY IN THE UNITED STATES 89 



In making this statement I do not exaggerate. Take 

 any class of scientific data, examine any series of chemical 

 compounds, and note the gaps Vv'hich exist in it. A chemist 

 in Berlin has studied one of the compounds, another in Paris 

 has prepared a second, many bits of information have been 

 gathered by many individuals, and so knowledge slowly accu- 

 mulates. The organization of research is to be one of the 

 great works of the future, when discovery shall have become 

 a profession, and groups of students shall co-operate toward 

 the attainment of clearly specified ends. To some extent this 

 work has already been done for astronomy, and more than 

 one observatory could exemplify what I mean. In a fully 

 manned and equipped observatory great investigations too 

 large for one astronomer to handle alone, can be carried out 

 systematically; and this is actually done. In mapping the 

 heavens, even, several observatories can combine their forces, 

 each one covering a definite part of the field ; but in chemistry 

 no policy of this kind has yet been possible. The extension 

 of the observatory method to other departments of science 

 is the advance for which I plead. 



Suppose now, we had a great laboratory, fitted up for 

 chemical and physical work together, well endowed and well 

 manned, what might we not expect from it? Great problems 

 could be taken up in the most orderly and thorough fashion, 

 methods of work might be standardized, and groups of phys- 

 ical contents determined. The results would aid and stimulate 

 individual students every^vhere, and applied science, too, 

 would receive its share of the benefit. There is to-day a 

 growing demand for accurately determined constants, and 

 no institution in which the demand may be adequately sup- 

 plied. At Charlottenburg, in Germany, there is a beginning; 

 in London the munificence of Ludwig Mond has made possible 

 a similar start; but nowhere is such a plan as I propose in full 

 and perfect operation. The United States has great labora- 

 tories, fine museums of natural history, and flourishing uni- 

 versities. Why should it not have institutions for physics 

 and chemistry also? These sciences touch many industries 

 at many points; their applications have created wealth be- 

 yond all possibility of computation; now let that wealth do 



