AMERICAN MEN OF SCIENCE 



595 



Chicago and Columbia are much more un- 

 equally developed than at Harvard. This, 

 however, is not a disadvantage, as with limited 

 resources it is probably desirable for a univer- 

 sity to have certain strong departments rather 

 than to have all of equal mediocrity. The 

 departments of mathematics, geology, botany 

 and zoology at Chicago, and of zoology, an- 

 thropology and psychology at Columbia are 

 well developed, while in certain other sciences 

 these universities stand at the bottom of the 

 list or even fail to be included among the ten 

 strongest departments. The Johns Hopkins 

 stands first in anatomy, second in pathology 

 and third in physics and in physiology. Yale 

 stands first in geology (which includes min- 

 eralogy) and second in chemistry and physi- 

 ology. The Massachusetts Institute of Tech- 

 nology stands first in chemistry. 



The most important recent development of 

 science has been the establishment of endowed 

 institutions for research. The astronomical 

 observatories, often officially but loosely con- 

 nected with universities, are of earlier origin. 

 Botanical gardens as centers of research also 

 have a long history. There is every argument 

 for similar institutions in each science, either 

 as integral parts of universities, in affiliation 

 with them or as independent institutions; and 

 they are probably being established as rapidly 

 as men can be found to do the work. In all 

 our leading universities there are professors 

 whose attention is devoted to advanced stu- 

 dents and investigation, and their laboratories 

 may be regarded as research institutions. 

 Then there are specially endowed foundations, 

 such as the Bussey Institution of Harvard 

 or the new Crocker Cancer Research Fund 

 of Columbia. The Wistar Institute of Biol- 

 ogy, affiliated with Pennsylvania, is perhaps the 

 most important institution of its class. Then 

 We have independent institutions endowed for 

 research, of which the most noteworthy are 

 the Smithsonian Institution, the Carnegie 

 Institution of Washington and the Rockefeller 

 Institute for Medical Research. The Smith- 

 sonian is of special interest, owing to its early 

 and peculiar foundation, but its endowment 



is not large according to modern standards, 

 and its energies are mainly taken up in di- 

 recting government bureaus. It does some 

 publication, but very little research work. The 

 Carnegie Institution with its endowment of 

 $12,000,000 has been a disappointment to those 

 who hoped that it would act the part of a 

 special providence for science and scientific 

 men. It is at present conducting research 

 institutions in various places and publishing 

 the work accomplished. It holds a good posi- 

 tion in physics; astronomy, botany and zool- 

 ogy, having in all its departments a total 

 strength of 30.9 men. It has an endowment 

 about equal to the part of the Harvard endow- 

 ment which may be allotted to the natural and 

 exact sciences, which supports the equivalent 

 of 146 men, who teach as well as carry for- 

 ward research, so its money, though well spent, 

 does not seem to go so far. A considerable 

 part of the income has, however, been used for 

 construction, equipment and publication. The 

 Rockefeller Institute stands high in pathology 

 and physiology and is continually improving 

 its position. It has been placed under the 

 direct control of scientific men and appears to 

 justify this procedure. The Marine Biolog- 

 ical Laboratory at Woods Hole is also con- 

 ducted by scientific men and although without 

 endowment is an important center for re- 

 search. The zoologists working there in sum- 

 mer would have a strength greater than any 

 department in any science, including the geol- 

 ogists of the national survey. 



Bureaus under the national government 

 stand first in geology and anthropology, second 

 in physics and third in chemistry and botany. 

 Excellent work is accomplished by these and 

 other bureaus, but it is probable that foreign 

 governments which spend far less on science 

 have in their service men of greater distinc- 

 tion. There is a wide-spread belief that the 

 government should only cultivate utilitarian 

 science. In the opinion of the writer this is 

 a mistaken point of view. Applied science 

 can be left to commercial enterprise more 

 safely than research in pure science. The 

 work which is of value to the whole nation 



