434 



NA TURE 



[September 7, 1893 



book is, on the whole, conveniently put together for the 

 purpose it has in view, viz. the instruction of the public 

 health student pr .-paring for examination, for whose 

 benefit, indeed, some of the chapters are actually fur- 

 nished with schemes of analysis directing him how to 

 make the best use of his time in the examination room. 



But although this work may be well adapted to the re- 

 quirements, such as they are, of the public health student, 

 we cannot help thinking that the examples we have 

 cited are alone sufficient to indicate the undesirability of 

 what is in reality a very difficult branch of applied 

 chemistry being taught outside the precincts of the 

 chemical laboratory. In places where really accurate 

 chemical work is not continually in progress, there must 

 always be a tendency for rough and ready methods of 

 analysis to creep in unchecked, with the inevitable result 

 that a number of imperfectly trained persons are sent out 

 into the world to undertake what ought to be regarded 

 as highly responsible work. It is one of the most glaring 

 anomalies of our fin de Steele civilisation indeed, that 

 whilst but few educated persons would think of taking 

 even the simplest medical remedy excepting under the 

 advice of a duly qualified practitioner, such important 

 questions as the water supply o a community, the de- 

 tection of pernicious adulterations in articles of daily 

 consumption, and the like, are frequently entrusted to 

 persons who cannot furnish a shred of satisfactory evi- 

 dence that they possess the necessary attainments for the 

 performance of such responsible duties. It is deeply to 

 be deplored, in the interests of the community, that the 

 Institute of Chemistry has not hitherto succeeded in 

 adequately illuminating the public on these matters. 

 Thus, whilst the Institute has done much in prescribing 

 educational curricula for the professional chemist, and in 

 submitting a number of candidates to severe examina- 

 tional tests, it has so far secured but little recognition 

 for its Fellows from the general public, who certainly, as 

 a rule, do not distinguish between them and the Fellows 

 of the Chemical Society. In this connection, indeed, 

 it cannot be sufficiently impressed on the laity that the 

 Chemical Society is open, and in our opinion rightly, to 

 all comers mho are, or profess to be, interested in chemical 

 science, and that its fellowship no more implies capacity 

 to perform chemical work than fellowship of the Royal 

 Geographical Society indicates any fitness to accompany 

 Mr. Stanley across Central Africa, or Dr. Hansen to the 

 Pole. 



In conclusion we would point out that this type of book, 

 embracing as it does a number of heterogeneous subjects 

 prepared and boiled down into a sort of jelly for the 

 pampered palate of the modern student, really raises a 

 very important issue in connection with the much talked 

 of technical education of the day. We perceive in the 

 recent developments of such education a more and more 

 marked tendency towards superficiality ; year by year 

 courses of instruction are made shorter and more com- 

 posite bycondensing primary subjects into a form sup- 

 posed to be adapted to the requirements of particular 

 bsdies of men. All over the country we find teachers 

 undertaking to provide a smattering in a number of dif- 

 ferent subjects, and a growing distaste on the part of 

 students to devote time and attention to the deeper 

 study of individual sciences. In such a subject as 



NO. 1245, VOL. 481 



Public Health, the proverbial danger of a little know- 

 ledge is particularly menacing, and we are strongly of 

 opinion that the student of this important subject, if he 

 is to be properly trained, should receive the chemical, 

 biological, and medical instruction involved, from a 

 thorough chemist, a competent biologist, and a fully 

 qualified medical man respe:tively, instead of imbibing 

 only the views of a single teacher, who whilst profess- 

 ing a number of subjects is probably of but indifferent 

 eminence in any one of them. 



THE ARCTIC PROBLEM. 

 The Arctic Problem and Narrative of the Peary RelieJ 

 Expedition of the Academy of Natural Sciences of 

 Philadelphia. By Angelo Heilprin, leader of the Peary 

 Relief Expedition. 8vo, pp. 165. (Philadelphia : Coa- 

 temporary Publishing Co. 1893.) 



PROF. HEILPRIN devotes almost half of his little 

 book to the narrative of the voyage of the Kite todK 

 relief of Peary, a narrative which he invests with lively 

 interest, despite the fact that it has been anticipaledby 

 the writings of his subordinates. The record gives a 

 very clear account of the voyage, and some admiraUe 

 descriptions of Arctic scenery, supplemented by photo- 

 graphic reproductions printed in two tints, with a very 

 realistic effect. Perhaps the most interesting chapter is 

 that devoted to the naturalist of Peary's party, Mr. 

 Verhoeff, who mysteriously disappeared just before the 

 time fixed for returning home. A large number of men 

 from the Kite, as well as Eskimos, prosecuted a minute 

 search for several days, with the result that footprints 

 and bits of paper were discovered on a glacier, movements 

 on which were made difficult by the extremely rou^ 

 condition of the ice. The natural inference is that Mb, 

 Verhoeff, being alone, had fallen into a crevass; and 

 perished there, and in this belief the search-party re- 

 turned. A more romantic explanation is, hovevw, 

 given by some of his relatives, who believe that, en- 

 amoured of the wild life he had been leading, Mr. 

 Verhoeff deliberately stayed behind with the object of 

 making further explorations on his own account. Faint 

 though the hope is, we could wish it to be true, and thai 

 when Lieutenant Peary approaches his farthest ncrthin 

 the new venture on which he is now embarked, he may 

 find his old companion awaiting him. 



The more important half of the book under consider- 

 ation is Prof Heilprin's clear and logical re-statein««t 

 of what he aptly terms the Arctic problem. Hil 

 language is frequently more perfervid than is usaal 

 amongst scientific writers on this side of the .Atlantic, but 

 his arguments are sound, and his conclusions cautious 

 and reasonable. The discussion begins with a sum- 

 mary of three expeditions intended to start this summer 

 on "the old trail" in quest of the highest latitude. 

 On Nansen's project he wisely says little beyond stating 

 the evidence for a transpolar current, and echoing the 

 universal confidence in the gallant Norseman's pluck 

 and perseverance. Nansen hopes, as our readers are 

 aware, to approach the pole from the neighbourhood of 

 the New Siberian Islands in longitude i.jo' E. 



The Ekroll expedition, also a Norwegian project, has 

 scarcely been heard about in Europe ; in fact the only 



