NATURE 



[March 15, 1917 



administration of certain poisons to the domestic fowl, 

 with special reference to the progeny (Proc. Amer. Phil. 

 Soc, Iv., 1916, pp. 243-58). This is an abstract of 

 three papers from the Maine Agricultural Experiment 

 Station, and a fuller memoir is promised later. A 

 new feature in this research is that "the foundation 

 stock used came from pedigreed strains of two breeds, 

 Black Hamburgs and Barred Plymouth Rocks . . . 

 whose genetic behaviour under ordinary circumstances 

 may be predicted with a degree of probability amount- 

 ing practically to complete certainty." The birds were 

 treated bv inhalation with ethyl alcohol, methyl 

 alcohol, or ether, and examination of the offspring 

 gave the surprising result that "out of twelve different 

 characters for which we have exact quantitative data, 

 the offspring of treated parents taken as a group are 

 superior to the offspring of non-treated parents in eight 

 characters." Dr. Pearl does not consider that his 

 results contradict those of the experiments by which 

 several recent workers — such, for example, as 

 Laitinen and Stockard — have established the degener- 

 ate nature of the offspring of many alcoholised mam- 

 mals. He points out that the strength of treatment 

 may be such as to exercise a selection among the 

 germ-cells, so that, through the elimination of feeble 

 sperms and ova, a larger proportion than usual of 

 vigorous gametes in the narcotised animals take part 

 in the production of zygotes, whereas with a stronger 

 treatment all the gametes are injuriously affected. 

 It is likely that the germ-cells of birds may be less 

 affected than those of mammals by such influence, 

 and Dr. Pearl is certainly justified in asking for 

 caution in transferring these results to problems of 

 human inheritance, though he is apparently willing 

 to accept at their face-value the much-disputed 

 statistics of Elderton and Pearson, so loudly acclaimed 

 as an excuse for alcoholic indulgence among man- 

 kind. G. H. C. 



IRE U.S. NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL. 



UNDER the pressure of conditions of war, national 

 advantage is being taken of the services which 

 science can render, through committees or by the 

 appointment of men of science to posts in Govern- 

 ment departments. Definite problems have to be 

 solved, and attention has to be concentrated upon 

 them, though this means that the freedom which is the 

 prime characteristic of exploration in scientific fields 

 is necessarily restricted. In the United States at 

 present there is no necessity of this kind ; and the 

 National Research Council is, therefore, free to de- 

 velop a plan in which purely scientific investigation 

 takes its essential place, without consideration of 

 immediate problems of national defence and industrial 

 demands. The council has recently sent a circular to 

 the chief educational institutions in the United States 

 recommending the formation of research committees 

 such as have been established already at the Massa- 

 chusetts Institute of Technology and certain other in- 

 stitutions at its suggestion. The obligations of men of 

 science towards national defence and industry are not 

 overlooked, but it is equally important to provide for the 

 free scientific research upon which great developments 

 will depend in the future as in the past. "We must 

 not forget," says the council, " that pure science, not 

 directly stimulated by patriotic impulse for national 

 service or the promise of financial reward from in- 

 dustrial profits, should be accorded the encouragement 

 which enlightened leaders of industry are so willing 

 to concede as its due." We subjoin an abstract of the 

 main points dealt with in the circular from which this 

 quotation is taken. 



NO. 2472, VOL. 99] 



Research Committees in Educational Institutions. 



A very large propo'tion of the scientific research 

 of the United States is conducted in the laboratories 

 of educational institutions. It is now widely appre- 

 ciated that contact with knowledge in the making is 

 the most effective means of seizing and holding the 

 student's attention. And it is also recognised that no 

 greater injury can be done to the cause of science 

 than to compel a promising investigator, fresh from 

 the researches of his graduate years, to relinquish 

 all hopes of further studies because of the com- 

 plete absorption of his time and energy by other 

 duties. 



It is with the fullest appreciation of tiie difficulties 

 which financial limitations Involve, and with a sincere 

 desire not to Interfere with the just demands of the 

 teacher's profession, that the National Research 

 Council Invites the co-operation of educatinnnl Institu- 

 tions In the promotion of research at this critical 

 period in our national progress. We believe it to be 

 feasible, without decreasing the efficiency of the uni- 

 versity, the college, or the professional school as 

 teaching Institutions, to increase greatly their contri- 

 bution to knowledge through research. Indeed, we 

 do not hesitate to say that If a portion of the time now 

 given to teaching were devoted to investigation, and 

 if the courses of Instruction were so altered as to take 

 full advantage of this change, the educational efficiency 

 of the institutions In question would be materially 

 enhanced. In extending a request for the formation 

 of research committees in educational institutions of 

 high standards, which accord serious support to 

 scientific research undertaken by the faculty and 

 advanced students, we beg to direct attention to some 

 of the possibilities which lie open to committees of 

 this character. 



Before sending out a general invitation, a pre- 

 liminary test of the plan has been made In certain 

 institutions. The Massachusetts Institute of tech- 

 nology, Yale University, the University of Chicago, 

 North-western University, and Throop College of Tech- 

 nology have already established research committees 

 to co-operate with the council. In each case these 

 committees are composed of the president of the In- 

 stitution, two or three leadmg members of the board 

 of trustees who are interested in research, six or more 

 faculty members engaged In research, and two or 

 more members of the alumni occupied with research 

 or interested in its promotion. Following the example, 

 at least for the present, of similar organisations 

 abroad, the council has directed its activities to the 

 promotion of research in chemistry, ph)'slcs, engin- 

 eering, mathematics, astronomy, geology and palae- 

 ontology, geography, botany, agriculture, zoology and 

 animal morphology, physiology, medicine, hygiene, 

 psychology, and anthropology. There is no reason, 

 however, why other departments of research should 

 not be represented on the research committees of 

 educational Institutions wherever this appears desir- 

 able. 



In view of the importance of encouraging research 

 on the part of members of the faculties of colleges 

 which do not undertake graduate instruction, the in- 

 vitation of the council is not limited to universities 

 and other Institutions now giving specific recognition 

 to research. It is highly important to encourage 

 competent men to continue the work of research begun 

 in their university career, and a sympathetic research 

 committee could help greatly in this respect. Even 

 the existence of such a committee should serve as a 

 valuable stimulus to men who properly look for some 

 measure of encouragement. In small Institutions 

 powerful support can be given to research by a body 

 of men who genuinely appreciate its significance. 



