January 8, 1920] 



NATURE 



471 



greatest obstacles in the way of organising indus- 

 trial research on a scale and of a character re- 

 quisite for the needs of industry as a whole. It 

 is therefore most interesting to note, from the 

 recently published report of the Department of 

 Scientific and Industrial Research, what success 

 has attended the efforts to establish research 

 associations. These associations are organised 

 and supported by manufacturers in specific indus- 

 tries, and some financial aid is granted by the 

 Department for a limited period of time, of an 

 amount about equal to that contributed annually 

 by the firms comprising the associations. 



Through such means research bearing on prob- 

 lems of common interest in the several industries 

 may effectively be carried out, and those channels 

 for the interchange of knowledge and experience 

 with which we have become familiar during the 

 war, and which are so essential if the greatest 

 benefits are to be obtained, will be maintained. 



Already a number of the most important indus- 

 tries have established research associations, and 

 most of the remainder are giving this matter 

 earnest consideration. Some question might be 

 raised on the soundness of the policy of conduct- 

 ing research in this manner, whereby each in- 

 dustry is more or less self-contained, so that diffi- 

 culties arise in the ready interchange of special 

 knowledge which, though acquired in the first 

 instance by and for one special industry, would 

 be, if readily available, of the very greatest in- 

 terest and value in others. One might anticipate, 

 however, that the present type of organisation 

 will be only a step towards an ultimate goal, pos- 

 siblv a centralised scheme which will effectively 

 provide for that interchange of thought and 

 knowledge between research workers without 

 which the whole benefit of their knowledge and 

 discoveries cannot be secured. 



The widespread variety of researches coming 

 under the survey of the Department is worthy 

 of note ; of these, none is of greater importance 

 than that relating to medical work. Jointly with 

 the Medical Research Committee, the Industrial 

 Fatigue Research Board has been established, in 

 order to carry out investigations in industry con- 

 cerned with output, timekeeping, labour, wastage, 

 and such data as will serve as indices of fatigue. 

 The enormous waste of human effort arising from 

 inefficient application in almost every kind of 

 mental and manual operation has long been 

 recognised. Much of this inefficiency has been 

 due to a lack of knowledge of the fundamental 

 conditions governing fatigue, and at this time 

 there is no investigation of greater importance 

 than that which concerns the conservation of 

 human effort, especially having regard to the far- 

 reaching effects of fatigue, manifested in ill- 

 health, increased risk of accidents, and loss of 

 production. The results of researches falling 

 within the scope of the Industrial Research Board 

 may prove of outstanding value, not only as 

 affording a scientific basis for the determination 

 of the real working capacity of individuals, but 

 also as indicating the laws underlying the most 



NO. 2619, VOL. 104] 



economical application of human effort, the observ- 

 ance of which will reduce to a minimum all the 

 physiological and psychological reactions arising 

 from fatigue, which are such potent factors in 

 the cause of industrial discord and unrest. 



It is gratifying to note the increased attention 

 given by the Department to the financial assist- 

 ance of those students who desire to qualify for 

 research work. The lack of sufficient numbers of 

 really sound research workers is acutely felt in 

 industry, ajud money expended in bringing to 

 maturity the powers of young men who exhibit 

 an inherent capacity for scientific investigation 

 will be wisely spent. 



A further interesting feature of the report is 

 the organisation of means for co-operating with 

 the extensive scientific investigation that is being 

 conducted by research organisations in the over- 

 seas Dominions. It is not sufficiently realised by 

 consumers in this country that it is just as im- 

 portant for research to be conducted towards the 

 efficient production of raw material as towards 

 cheapening the more advanced processes of manu- 

 facture. In this connection every encouragement 

 should be given to maintaining the closest pos- 

 sible relation with research in the Colonies. 



A matter to which one would like to see greater 

 attention given is a means for developing and 

 maintaining an acute interest in scientific research 

 on the part of the manual workers in industry 

 and by the general public. As the report truly 

 points out, a marked change is taking place in" 

 the attitude in industry towards scientific re- 

 search, but this attitude has largely been the 

 result of scientific achievement during the war, 

 and unless efforts are made to stimulate and 

 maintain it this interest is likely to suffer eclipse 

 as other problems arise. Probably no better 

 means could be devised for achieving this purpose 

 than such displays as the admirably conducted 

 British Scientific Products Exhibitions of the last 

 two years, coupled with systematic propaganda in 

 the daily and technical Press. 



A. P. M. Fleming. 



SERICULTURE IN INDIA.^ 



FOR long past, the decline of the Indian silk 

 industry has given rise to considerable 

 anxiety. The main feature of the situation has 

 been a serious falling off in the production of raw 

 silk in Bengal (hitherto the principal silk- 

 producing province of India) involving a restricted 

 use of Bengal silk in India itself and a great 

 decline in the overseas exports of raw silk. The 

 place of these exports has in part been taken by 

 the excellent silk now produced in Kashmir, but 

 the quantity is small compared with the Bengal 

 exports of former years. The unfortunate result 

 has been a great advance in the import into India 



1 Report on an Inquiry into the Silk Industry in India. By H. Maxwell- 

 Lefroy and E. C. Ansorge. Vol, i., "The Silk Industry." By H. 

 Maxwell-Lefroy. (1916.) Pp. li-F2ii. Price Rs. 2, or 3J. Vol. ii., 

 "Present Condition of the Silk Trade of India." By E. C. Alisorge, 

 (1916.) Pp. vi + it5. Price Rs. i As, 6, or 2J. Vol. iii., Appendices to 

 Vol. i. By H. Maxwell-Lefroy, (1916.) Pp. 227. (Calcutta: Super- 

 intendent Government Printing, India, 1917,) Price Rs, 2 As. 12, or 4s. 2</. 



