April 5, 1894] 



NA TURE 



533 



but of physical, and physiological, and petro^^raphical, 

 and anatomical, and pharmacological, and geological 

 laboratories. While of late years there has perhaps 

 been a reaction, and a tendency to somewhat simpler 

 buildings than those that at one time were the fashion, 

 it is still true that the laboratories are semi-palatial, and 

 a strict economist might find ground for complaint, 

 claiming that results as good might have been obt;i.ined 

 at smaller cost. It would hardly be profitable to discuss 

 this point here. In this country we cannot be said in 

 general to have been extravagant in building laboratories ; 

 certainly not, if we keep the European standard in mind. 

 Most of the larger laboratories in this countr>'are modest 

 in their fittings, and the strictest economist could hardly 

 find fault. 



If we had the power to estimate the value of the work 

 that has been done for the world by the scientific labora- 

 tories, it is certain that the money spent for them, how- 

 ever great the sum may be, would appear to us ridicu- 

 lously small. The scientific method, as it is called, has 

 been spreadamong men, and has changed the whole aspect 

 of things. The influence of the laboratory is felt in every 

 branch of knowledge. The methods of investigation have 

 changed, and everywhere the scientific method has been 

 adopted. Who can tell what an enormous influence this 

 has already had upon the thoughts and actions of men, 

 and what still greater influence is to be exerted ? The 

 laboratory has impressed upon the world the truth that in 

 order to learn about anything it will not suffice to stand 

 aloof and speculate, and that it is necessary to come into 

 as close contact with that thing as possible. When the 

 old philosopher wished to solve a problem, his method 

 was to sit down and think about it. He relied upon the 

 workings of his brain to frame a theory, and beautiful 

 theories were undoubtedly framed, and many of these, 

 probably all of those which had reference to natural 

 phenomena, were far in advance of facts known, and often 

 directly opposed to facts discovered later. Minds were not 

 hampered by facts, and theories grew apace. The age 

 was one of mental operations, A beautiful thought was 

 evidently regarded as something much superior to know- 

 ledge. We have not learned to think less of beautiful 

 thoughts or of mental processes, but we have learned to 

 think more of facts, and to let our beautiful thoughts be 

 guided by them. 



And how did this come about ? It is curious that 

 the scientific method of work, which is altogether the 

 simplest, should be the last to be adopted by the world 

 as it is by individuals. It would be impossible to 

 determine all the causes that have led to this result, 

 but one of the immediate causes is undoubtedly to 

 be found in the fact that, at an early period in the 

 history of the world, those who worked with their 

 hands came to be looked upon as inferior to those who 

 worked with their heads alone. This operated power- 

 fully to keep those who were best fitted to advance 

 knowledge, from adopting the simplest method, viz. that 

 of studying things. One who engaged in experiment did 

 it surreptitiously, or lost caste. 



Probably the most powerful force that first led men 

 to experiment systematically was the conception of the 

 philosopher's stone, and out of the labours of the 

 alchemists sprang experimental science. Strange as it 

 may seem, it was the love of gold that led to the develop- 

 ment of scientific methods of investigation. In some way, 

 probably through superficial observations, men came 

 early to think it possible that the ordinary or base 

 metals could be transformed into gold, and with this 

 idea came the desire to experiment on the subject, 

 and the experiments on this subject have been kept 

 up until the present century. So that in one sense, 

 certainly, it is not true that "the love of money is 

 the root of all evil.'' While much folly was com- 



NO. 1275 VOL. 49] 



mitted in the name of alchemy^ — as much folly is 

 committed to-day in the name of chemistry, and of 

 medicine, and of other lines of work — it is clear that 

 the true alchemist was as ardent a worker as the world 

 has perhaps ever seen ; he was engaged in experiment- 

 ing. He was teaching the world that the way to a cor- 

 rect knowledge of nature lies not in philosophy alone 

 but through coming in contact with the things of nature, 

 and becoming personally acquainted with them. Para- 

 celsus speaks of the alchemists of his time thus : "They 

 are not given to idleness, nor go in a proud habit, or 

 plush or velvet garments, often showing their rings upon 

 their fingers, or wearing swords with silver hilts by their 

 sides, or fine and gay gloves upon their hands, but dili- 

 gently follow their labours, sweating whole days and 

 nights by their furnaces. They do not spend their time 

 abroad for recreation, but take delight in their laboratory. 

 They wear leather garments with a pouch, and an apron 

 wherewith they wipe their hands. They put their 

 fingers among coals, and into clay, not into gold rings. 

 They are sooty and black like smiths and colliers, and 

 do not pride themselves upon clean and beautiful 

 faces.'' 



This is certainly the picture of a hard worker, and 

 as such w-e must look upon the alchemist. The work 

 done by the alchemists was chemical work. It was 

 allied very closely to the work done by chemists now- 

 a-days. They hoped to find the philosopher's stone 

 among chemical substances, and the transformation 

 they hoped for was to be accomplished by a chemical 

 method. They consequently devoted themselves to 

 careful study of all known chemical substances, and 

 in further studying the action of these substances 

 upon one another they came into possession of new facts. 

 There can be no doubt that we owe to the alchemists 

 not only the foundation of chemistry, but the foundation 

 of experimental science. In our superior way we smile 

 at their futile labours to discover the philosopher's stone, 

 but the tremendous results reached by them must not be 

 lost sight of. The theory of the philosopher's stone was 

 shown to be a false theory ; but what of that ? Probably 

 many of the theories now held are false, but they are none 

 the less valuable. An idea is of value if it leads to active 

 work. Working hypotheses are the stepping-stones of 

 intellectual progress. The philosopher's stone was more 

 than a stepping-stone — it was a magnificent bridge. 

 "Any idea,'' says Liebig, "which stimulates men to 

 work, excites the perceptive faculty, and brings perse- 

 verance, is a gain for science, for it is work that leads to 

 discoveries. The most lively imagination, the most 

 profound wisdom, is not capable of suggesting a 

 thought which could have acted more powerfully and 

 lastingly upon the mind and powers of man than 

 did the idea of the philosopher's stone. Without this 

 idea chemistry could not exist to-day in its present 

 perfection." 



Let us now turn from the past to the present, and 

 inquire, What is the province of a chemical labora- 

 tory in a university in this country .-* The first chem- 

 ical laboratories had for their sole object the training of 

 chemists, and consequently, the methods adopted in 

 them were adapted to this end alone. Afterwards, and 

 indeed only quite recently, the importance of laboratory 

 training in chemistry for those looking forward to the 

 study of medicine came to be recognised : and, still 

 later, the idea that such training might be made a 

 valuable part of a general education appeared. At 

 present, then, a chemical laboratory is called upon to 

 furnish opportunities (i) for the general student who does 

 not expect to become either a technical chemist or a 

 teacher of chemistry ; (2) for the medical student ; (3) 

 for him who expects to devote himself to the practice of 

 chemistry, either in a chemical factory or in an analytical 



