The Evolution of Chemistry. 149 



ABSTRACT OF THE DISCUSSION. 



DR. E. H. BARTLEY : 



I have certainly no adverse criticism to make upon the lecture of the 

 evening. Dr. Eccles has, it seems to me, been remarkably successful 

 in crowding a great deal of accurate information into a very little 

 space. In the brief time allotted to me, I can only call attention to one 

 or two points in connection with the evolution of chemistry which 

 have not been elaborated by the lecturer. If we examine the earliest 

 records of chemical investigation, we shall note the lack of definite- 

 ness in the language with which they are described, as compared with 

 the clear, accurate form of our modern scientific terminology. The 

 development of language itself has gone on hand in hand with devel- 

 opment in science, and has been aided and stimulated by it. Modern 

 language begins and ends in a point : is terse, lucid, and accurate. It 

 shows the same tendency toward increased coherency and integration 

 that appears in all other processes of evolution. This is particularly 

 true of the language of science. And this accuracy of descriptive ter- 

 minology is an essential condition of the progress of science. By 

 means thereof, new discoveries and investigations are made known to 

 other investigators, the world over, almost as rapidly as they are ac- 

 complished thus furnishing the clews in other minds for yet further 

 advancement in scientific knowledge. In the same direction is seen 

 the effect of the admirable work of artisans, at the present day, in the 

 manufacture of chemical apparatus. Formerly each investigator had 

 to make his own apparatus, often in a very rude and clumsy way. 

 Now it is prepared for him, and most perfectly adapted to its uses, 

 thereby greatly assisting discoveries in scientific research, and consti- 

 tuting a most important element in the evolution of science. This is 

 true of all the practical sciences, and specially true of chemistry. 

 Thus we see illustrated the universal law of evolution : the tendency 

 to differentiation, to the creation of separate and distinct divisions of 

 labor, accompanied by a greater coherence a more perfect co-operation 

 of all in the advancement of knowledge and the improvement and 

 unification of the race. 



DR. P. H. VAN DER WETDE : 



I have been astonished at the amount of material which has been 

 crowded into the lecture this evening. As an historical paper, and a 



