Industrial Research 



265 



individual showing rapid growth and reduced mortaUty. 

 The market value of the first generation individuals is 

 high because of rapid growth and rapid feathering. 



Another example of genetic information may be 

 drawn from the use of sex-linked genes for distinguish- 

 ing the sex of chicks at hatcliing. One important 

 means is found in the recessive sex-linked gene for long 

 primary and secondary feathers in contrast to the 

 dominant short primaries and secondaries of certain 

 breeds. At least one well-known hatchery has been 

 offering autosexed cliicks for sale on the basis of this 

 genetic test. Likewise, a dominant sex-linked gene 

 for barring of feathers has served as a means of dis- 

 tinguishing the sexes at hatching. At hatcheries it is 

 important to know which of the chicks are male and 

 which are female, so that the cockerels may be sold 

 and the pullets be kept for egg production. 



The application of the principles of genetics to various 

 problems in plant and animal biology has led to an 

 astonishing increase in productivity and in the improve- 

 ment of the product. 



Training of the Industrial Biologist 



The expanding of the general body of knowledge 

 through training in the fundamental disciplines becomes 

 increasingly important. The industrial biologist must 

 have a solid foimdation of chemistry and physics to 

 supplement biology so that he may think correctly 

 regarding living things (that are not reagents iia a 

 bottle) in terms of their fundamental life processes and 

 reactions. The superstructure wiU of necessity be 

 varied. It may be anatomy, gross or microscopic; 

 physiology, broad or in its narrower phases of endo- 

 crinology; it may be microbiology, represented by 

 bacteriology, virology, parasitology, protozoology. It 

 may be evolution as in genetics, nutrition, broad or 

 narrow, and it may be the interaction of all phases of 

 the environment on one form, ecology. In food 

 research, apart from the background subjects, the 

 biologist should have knowledge of the recent develop- 

 ments in genetics, histology, and plant pathology. 

 The most important thing is the scientific and philo- 

 sophical foundation on which any desired kind of a 

 structure can be built, and onto which another can be 

 moved to replace the first. While the schools can 

 supply a relatively permanent foundation, the first 

 superstructure will need constant remodeling to meet 

 changing needs and new developments. More empha- 

 sis should be placed on the supposedly fixed parts of 

 the endeavor rather than on details and decoration. 

 The universities must maintain great teachers and 

 continue the development of fundamental research. 



Biologists specialize in one or more branches of the 

 general field and caU themselves according to their 

 major subject; e. g., bacteriologists, cytologists, endo- 



crinologists, parasitologists, and so on. Some of the 

 main divisions and subdivisions follow: 



Anatomy. 



Bacteriology. 



Botany. 



Cytology. 



Dendrology. 



Ecology. 



Embryology. 



Endrocrinology. 



Entomology. 



Epidemiology. 



Genetics. 



Helminthology. 



Histology. 



Ilydrobiology. 



Immunology. 



Limnology. 



Microbiology. 



Mycology. 



Paleobotany. 



Paleontology. 



Parasitology. 



Pathology. 



Pharmacognosy. 



Pharmacology. 



Physiology. 



Plant Pathology. 



Protozoology. 



Psychology. 



Toxicology. 



Zoology. 



These various subjects emphasize a special sphere 

 of the more general subject of botany or zoology. 

 Often these are disconnected and fail to give the 

 student a well-coordinated outline of the subject as a 

 whole. One obvious feature of all biological study is 

 the multiple interaction of numerous factors that go 

 to make up the general pattern of life. The biologist 

 must always keep in mind that every organism is a 

 dynamic entity formed into a more or less stable 

 pattern. He is working with hfe and must not for- 

 get the complexity of the system and also that no 

 sharp line can be drawn between the organism and its 

 immediate surroundings. 



The course work given in chemistry and physics is 

 often organized to train professionals ui these fields 

 and not to tram persons who wish to learn chemistry, 

 physics, and mathematics as an aid to some other 

 profession. The biologist has great need for physics, 

 chemistry, and mathematics as well as for good founda- 

 tion in the biological sciences, but he may not have 

 time to pursue the same instruction usually given for 

 the major students in chemistry, physics, and mathe- 

 matics. A more modest offering in number of divisions 

 with emphasis on the fundamental science, seems 

 desirable. 



From what has gone before, it is clear that the 

 research worker in biology should have a broad and 

 fundamental training. Similarly it is essential that the 

 personnel in charge of the scientific control of a biological 

 process, and the officials directing government regulatory 

 activities have fundamental and comprehensive biologi- 

 cal training. Too often application of the results of 

 research is unduly delayed or frustrated by the lack of 

 adequately trained personnel to carry the work beyond 

 the laboratory. 



The social implications of biological research have not 

 received general recognition. Fortunately, there is 

 growing up a certain awareness among research workers 

 of the impact of discovery upon social organization and 

 welfare. The problems that may develop from research 

 in biology and their social consequences deserve con- 

 sideration. There is reason to believe that the biologist 

 of the future will consider carefully the social and 

 economic influences that may result from his researches. 



