s^^ 



NATl/fi^ 



[June 27, 1918 



us all. To secure this, scientific handling of materials 

 and processes is necessary. Constant research, both 

 on general and on particular or individual lines, is 

 essential.. This is becoming recognised by producers 

 throughout the whole country. 



For these reasons I consider that the British Science 

 Guild has a great field for its activities, and if it con- 

 tinues to press for the attainment of these objects 

 I am sure that it deserves the cordial and hearty sup- 

 port of all who are interested in the safety and ex- 

 pansion of all those industries upon which the future 

 of this nation so largely depends. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 



Cambridge.— Mr. C. R. A. Thacker, late scholar 

 of Downing College, has been elected to a fellowship 

 at Sidney Sussex College. Mr. Thacker was placed 

 Ui the first class of the Natural Sciences Tripos, part i., 

 in 191 1, and part ii. (physiology) in 1912. He is 

 attached to the Special Medical Board of the Ministry 

 of Pensions. 



Leeds. — Capt. M. J. Stewart has been elected pro- 

 fessor of pathology and bacteriology in the University. 

 He received his commission in the R.A.M.C. (Terri- 

 torial Force) in May, 1915, and has served as patho- 

 logist to the East Leeds War Hospital, and in a 

 similar capacity in France. A few months ago be was 

 recalled to Leeds, and, at the request of the University 

 Council, undertook the acting headship of the depart- 

 ment of pathology and bacteriology. In addition to 

 his hospital and teaching work Capt. Stewart has 

 devoted much time to original research on pathological 

 questions, and has a long list of publications to his 

 credit. 



London. — The Senate announces a bequest of 2000L 

 for the engineering faculty of King's College under 

 the will of Lieut. R. C. Hodson, a former student in 

 the engineering department of the college, who was 

 killed in France last year; also a donation of 51L 

 from Miss Gertrude Jones for the purposes of the 

 Galton Laboratory at University College. 



Grants have been made by the Senate out of the 

 Dixon Fund for the year 1918-19 as follows: — lool., 

 Mr. Birbal Sahni, to enable him to continue last year's 

 research on Indian fossil plants at Cambridge; 60L, 

 Mr. Tames Morrison, to enable him to continue re- 

 search on the igneous rocks of the Lake District; 15?., 

 Dr. H. B, Crenshaw, for expenses in connection with 

 research on the Connemara serpentine rocks. 



A resolution was adopted by the Senate on June 19 

 expressing gratification that the King's College Hos- 

 pital had decided to open its medical school to women 

 students— " a step which is in entire conformity both 

 wi^th the wishes and the policy of the University." 



The following doctorate has been conferred : — D.Sc. 

 in Geology, Mr. A. E. Trueman, an external student, 

 for a thesis entitled "The Evolution of the Liparo- 

 ceratidse," and other papers. 



Oxford. — The lately published report of the Dele- 

 gates of the Universit}- Museum directs attention to 

 the very large number of rnembers of the teaching 

 staff, research workers, and service staff of the 

 museum and departments who are now serving in the 

 Navy or Armv, or are otherwise entjaged in work 

 directly connected with the war. A large part of the 

 museum is still occupied by the school of military 

 aeronautics. A new dissecting-room for women 

 medical students has been provided bv the liberality 

 of the Glothworkers' Company, a deficit over the 

 sum , allotted being generously met bv .Sir William 

 Osier. Among the special investigations carried on 



■''"■■'no. 2=;^q. VOL. iotI 



in the several departments have been work on the 

 agglutination curve in relation to typhoid and para- 

 typhoid fevers, tetanus, "mustard gas," the com- 

 mercial production of toluene from petroleum, the 

 sulphonation of benzene and the manufacture of syn- 

 thetic phenol, and the preparation of new chloro- 

 amides for use as antiseptics. A considerable amount 

 of research workljas also been published on subjects 

 not directly connected . with the war. The curator of 

 the Pitt-Rivers Museum reports a very large accession 

 of specimens by donation, chief among which are the 

 examples presented by Lady Tylor from the collection 

 of her late husband. Other important accessions have 

 been received from Mr, J. H. Hutton, Mrs. Braith- 

 waite Batty, Mr. A. S. Kenyon, and Major R. G. 

 Gayer Anderson. 



The Hon. Sir C. A. Parsons has consented to fill 

 the office of president of the Polytechnic School of 

 Engineering, Regent Street, in succession to the late 

 Mr. C. Hawksley. 



. We learn from a message from the Rome corre- 

 spondent of the Times that the British Institute at 

 Florence was formally opened on June 21 by .Sir 

 Rennell Rodd, Ambassador to the Court of Italy, who 

 said that as Florence was the intellectual centre of 

 Italy, the British Institute in Florence would provide 

 facilities for the study of English by practical and 

 scientific methods, the courses including classes in 

 English history, geography, and literature. An attempt 

 would also be made to explain and illustrate the chief 

 problems of the British Empire. It was hoped that in 

 the future the institute might become a point of con- 

 tact between the principal British and Italian uni- 

 versities. . 



At a series of conferences held during the present 

 year representatives of the non-professorial teaching 

 staffs of the universities and university colleges of 

 England, Ireland, and Wales decided to take joint 

 action for the purpose of securing an improvement 

 in status, tenure, and salary. A memorandum has 

 been prepared setting forth the present conditions of 

 service and remuneration, which are admitted to be 

 unsatisfactory by all conversant with the facts, and 

 suggesting various remedies. Of these the most im- 

 portant is that the lecturing staff should be divided 

 into three grades. The lowest grade would comprise 

 appointments of a probationary character to last not 

 more than three years. At the end of that time the 

 junior lecturer or demonstrator should cease to hold 

 the appointment, or, if it is desired to retain his 

 services, he should be promoted to the next grade, that 

 of lecturer on the permanent staff. The highest grade 

 would be composed of senior lecturers and lecturers 

 in charge of departments. It is suggested as essential 

 that there should be a definite minimum commencing 

 salary in each grade, with substantial annual incre- 

 ments, and that lecturers should have a greater security 

 of tenure, more time for study and research, and more 

 adeauate representation on bodies that control the 

 teaching in each university or college than prevail 

 under existing arrangements. The memorandum is 

 being presented to the governing bodies of each uni- 

 versity or university college" concerned, and there is 

 reason to believe that the recommendations contained 

 in it will receive favourable consideration. No im- 

 provement of salaries, however, can be expected with- 

 out substantial aid from increased Treasury grants, 

 and the promoters of the movement intend to make 

 I representations to the Government that such in- 

 I creases of grant should be giveo as would make it 

 I possible for governing bodies to meet, the not unreason- 

 . able claims which have been put forward. 



