NA TURE 



633 



SAi URDAY, MAY 20, 1922. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Imperial Aspects of Comparative Medicine . 633 



The General Theory of Relativity. By A. S. E. . 634 

 New Methods of Arctic Exploration. By Dr. Hugh 



Robert Mill .636 



An Epic of Science. By F. S. Marvin . . 638 



Biochemistry. By W. M. B 639 



Morphological Aberration. By Dr. F. A. Bather, 



F.R.S 640 



Physics for Students. By H. S. A 641 



Parasitism and Symbiosis. By F. A. Potts 643 



Our Bookshelf 643 



Letters to the Editor : — 



On Immediate Solutions of Some Dynamical Problems. 



{With diagram.) — Prof. Andrew Gray, F.R.S. 645 



The Conquest of Malaria.— Col. W. G. King, CLE. 647 

 Transcription of Russian Names. — Maj.-Gen. Lord 



Edward Gleichen, K.C.V.0 648 



The Helmholtz Theory of Hearing. {Illustrated.)— 



A. S. E. Ackermann ; Dr. H. Hartridge . 649 



Directive Radio-telegraphy and Navigation. {Illus- 

 trated.) 650 



The Cause and Character of Earthquakes. By R. D. 



Oldham, F.R.S 650 



Obituary :— 



Prof. G. S. Boulger 653 



Current Topics and Events 654 



Our Astronomical Column 656 



Research Items 657 



The Rat and its Repression. By Alfred E. Moore . 659 



Science and Gas Warfare 661 



The Evolution of Plumage. By H. F. G. . . . 662 



The Advance of Heliotherapy. By Dr. C. W. 

 Saleeby 663 



The Universities and the Publication of the Results 



of Research in America 664 



University and Educational Intelligence . . . 664 



Calendar of Industrial Pioneers 665 



Societies and Academies 666 



Official Publications Received 667 



Diary of Societies 668 



Editorial and Publishing Offices : 



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Advertisements and business ielters should be 



addressed to the Publishers. 



Editorial communications to the Editor. 



Telegraphic Address: PHUSIS, LONDON. 

 Telephone Number : GERRARD 8830. 



NO. 2742, VOL. 109] 



Imperial Aspects of Comparative Medicine. 



THE Advisory Committee on Research into 

 Diseases in Animals was appointed in 

 November 1920 by the Development Commission 

 " to report on the facilities now available for the 

 scientific study of the diseases of animals, to indicate 

 what extension of those facilities is desirable in the 

 immediate future in order to advance the study of 

 disease whether in animals or man, and to advise as 

 to the steps which should be taken to secure the aid 

 of competent scientific workers in investigating diseases 

 in animals." The Committee comprised Sir David 

 Prain (Chairman), Prof. 0. C. Bradley, Captain W. E. 

 ElHot, M.P., Sir Walter Fletcher, Sir William Leish- 

 man. Sir John M'Fadyean, Prof. C. J. Martin, and 

 Mr. F. B. Smith, C.M.G. The report which has now 

 been issued (H.M.S.O., xs. 6d. net) affirms that the 

 problem of disease and of health, whether in man, animal 

 or plant, is in reality one, and that the acquisition of 

 tlie greater part of our knowledge of human and of 

 veterinary medicine, both curative and preventive, has 

 resulted from the use of identical scientific methods. 

 Moreover, the vast overseas trade of the United 

 Kingdom in five-stock gives it a vested interest in the 

 wealth annually at hazard from preventible causes 

 throughout the Empire. 



With this broad interpretation of its terms of 

 reference, the Committee has had to deal with essen- 

 tially the same problem as that of the Colonial Office 

 " Committee on Research in the Colonies," to the 

 report of which reference was made in the issue of 

 Nature for March 23, p. 365. 



Whereas the Committee of the Colonial Office looked 

 to the Universities as training grounds for future 

 investigators, that of the Development Commission 

 has concentrated attention on the Veterinary Institu- 

 tions and Laboratories. It found that in the United 

 Kingdom the only independent institution devoted 

 to the investigation of animal diseases to which the 

 name " Research Institute " could be applied was at 

 the Royal Veterinary College, London. The aggregate 

 State subsidy received by the five Veterinary Colleges 

 during the year 1920-21 for research purposes totalled 

 only 3696/. This condition of affairs renders impossible 

 the proper payment of workers or the maintenance of 

 laboratories or of field inquiries, and is stigmatised 

 by the Committee as a national disgrace. In its 

 survey of the facifities available overseas the Committee 

 was embarrassed by the limited information at its 

 command, but after excepting the Veterinary Labora- 

 tory at Onderspepoort on account of its valuable work 

 for the Union of South Africa, the Committee adopts 

 the dictum of the editor of the Tropical Veterinary 



