78 



NATURE 



[November i, 1917 



Fascinating though it is to follow the fortunes of 

 small discoveries in the physical sciences and see how 

 they ultimately develop into great instruments of 

 human service, it is, if anything, even more fascinating 

 to trace the history of small discoveries in the biological 

 sciences. And this is so, no doubt, because the contact 

 of biology with daily existence is not so obvious and 

 self-assertive as is that of physics or chemistry ; conse- 

 quently the ramifications of influence of biological re- 

 search are more subtle, but none the less real. 



Modern medicine — using the term to include surgery 

 — it is safe to say, is that phase of biological science 

 which has the most obvious effect upon daily human 

 existence. Examined closely, it is clear that modern 

 medicine is based upon a multiplicity of scientific dis- 

 coveries ; some of them of outstanding magnitude, 

 many of them of minor consequence. 



Fed upon descriptions of marvellous operations 

 served up by a sensational Press, the layman is not 

 slow to admit the wonders of modern surgery. Won- 

 derful though the surgical stories of the fay Press may 

 be, they are not really more marvellous than many of 

 those stated in the cool, calculated, and technical lan- 

 guage of the medical and surgical periodicals. Regard 

 for a moment an operation recently described by an 

 Army surgeon. "Somewhere in France" a soldier 

 was shot. The bullet was located in the cavity of the 

 left ventricle of the heart, and removed therefrom by 

 operation. This feat was rendered possible by a long 

 series of discoveries leading away back into regions 

 far from the utilitarian. The determination of the 

 position of the bullet depended upon the studies of Sir 

 William Crookes on high vacua — a thing of yesterday — 

 combined with the discovery of cathode-rays about two 

 hundred years ago. The operation was rendered free 

 from danger of sepsis by the development of the " germ 

 theory"- — now so familiar that we have almost for- 

 gotten that it originally bore this name — which reposed 

 upon a long line of arduous research, including Pas- 

 teur's inquiries into fermentation, and, still more re- 

 motely, the peculiarities of tartrate crystals. These 

 and many more academic inquiries placed the surgeon 

 in possession of the means to perform an operation 

 which, not many years ago, would have been regarded 

 as daring in the extreme. 



Frankly, this particular operation was chosen as an 

 example of the triumphs of modern surgery because it 

 was both sensational and topical. But equally wonder- 

 ful work is done daily and far distant from the grim 

 romance of the battlefield. 



Instances of the application of scientific discovery to 

 everyday problems and everyday needs might be multi- 

 plied almost without limit. But the foregoing must 

 suffice to justify the contention that the fruits of 

 academic research are not difficult to find in the appli- 

 ances and contrivances which make the day's work 

 what it is, and that the commercial wealth and pros- 

 perity of the world are in no small measure dependent 

 Upon discoveries of seemingly small and trifling 

 moment, and nearly always of little utilitarian com- 

 plexion. He who wishes to demonstrate to the man 

 of commerce that it is in his own interest to encourage 

 and aid the man of science need experience no difficulty 

 in adducing facts in support of his argument. It is 

 easily possible to prove the benefits that accrue to com- 

 mercial undertakings out of the employment of a scien- 

 tific staff. The proof is perhaps not so necessary now 

 as it was not many years ago ; but the necessity still 

 exists, though in a modified degree. 



But, while science is of service to commerce, the 

 complete subjection of science to commerce or the re- 

 quirements of the State would not be productive of 

 entirely good results. The bending of research to 

 purely utilitarian ends would be fraught with grave 

 danger in several directions, and not least in that it 

 NO. 2505, VOL. 100] 



would discourage investigations instigated by a thirst 

 for knowledge for its own sake— investigations which 

 history has shown may develop into discoveries of sur- 

 passing moment. 



After all, the business of the man of science is to 

 discover truth regardless of possible monetary profit 

 either to himself or to humanity at large. Let the 

 inventor use the knowledge if he cares and can. 

 " Your business, your especial business," said Pasteur 

 once to his students, " must be to have nothing in 

 common with those narrow minds which despise every- 

 thing in science which has no immediate application." 

 And Pasteur, apart from the inestimable work he did 

 leading to modern surgery, taught the vinegar-makers 

 of Orleans how to increase their output, instructed 

 France how to prevent the souring of her wines, and 

 helped the brewers of London by instructing them con- 

 cerning the importance of the purity of their yeast. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 



Cambridge. — Dr. J. E. Marr, University lecturer in 

 geology, has been elected to the Woodwardian pro- 

 fessorship of geology in succession to the late Prof. 

 McKenny Hughes. 



Edinburgh. — The Lord Rectorship of the Univer- 

 sity, vacant since Lord Kitchener met his tragic fate, 

 falls to be filled up next month. As on the last occa- 

 sion, the students have determined to have no con- 

 tested election, but have invited Sir David Beatty, 

 Admiral of the Fleet, to be their Lord Rector. The 

 invitation was forwarded by Mr. J. A. Stirling, presi- 

 dent, and Miss Helen I. Walker, secretary, of the 

 Students' Representative Council, and Admiral Beatty 

 replied in these .words : — •" I should be proud to be- 

 come the Lord Rector of Edinburgh University, and 

 greatly a,ppreciate the honour which the students of 

 the University confer on .me in offering to elect me to 

 that high office." 



London. — The cordial thanks of the Senate have 

 been voted to the London County Council for the 

 grant of 600L a year for the salary of the holder of 

 the professorship of Russian to be instituted for tenure 

 at King's College, and to the Worshipful Company of 

 Drapers for the renewal for a further year of the 

 annual grant of 500!. for the biometric laboratory at 

 University College. 



The following doctorates have been conferred : — 

 D.Sc. in Chemistry: Mr. Nilratan Dhar, an internal 

 student, of the Imperial College (Royal College of 

 Science), for a thesis entitled "Catalysis: Some In- 

 duced Reactions and Temperature Coefficients of 

 Catalysed Reactions." D.Sc. in Psychology: Mr. 

 Shepherd Dawson, an external student, for a thesis 

 entitled "The Experimental Study of Binocular Colour 

 Mixture." 



Sheffield. — On October 25 General Smuts and Sir 

 John Jellicoe visited the applied science department of 

 the University to inspect work being carried on there 

 in connection with the Ministry of Munitions. The 

 distinguished visitors and party inspected the physical 

 and metallurgical laboratories and alloys foundries, 

 where many objects of interest were shown. The visit 

 also included inspection of the shell shops and gauge 

 and tool-room department. After inspection of the 

 buildings, a conference was held with members of the 

 Sheffield Committee on Munitions of War and other 

 gentlemen. 



The Maria Mitchell Memorial Fellowship at Harvard 

 Observatory, value looL, is offered to a woman for the 

 year beginning September 15, 1918. .\ competitive 



