5°4 



NATURE 



[February 27. 1919 



ty, botany, and physiology, the physical science 

 could be shirked altogether. The latt-ei course was, 



V s. rarelj pursued, but the former, I imagim 

 must have been commonly followed; li is gratifying 

 o find that at last natural science is to receive a 

 much overdue recognition in the Cambridge Previous 

 Examination, and', though the exact details are not y< 

 to hand, one fervently hopes that both branches, the 

 pRyslco-chemical and the biological, will be included 

 anil made obligatory for all students. 



It appeared to me in the past thatthe Cambridgi 

 medical student who took the Tripes along with his 

 M.B. examinations received (in theory, at any rain 

 the broadest education in science that the I niversitv 

 had to oiler; for in his first M.B. he was obliged to 

 Cake both physics ami chemistry as well as biology. 

 It thus struck mi- that some such examination should 

 have been made universal for all honours candidates 

 in natural science. Now that science is to be intro- 

 duced into thi ' Little-go," the necessity for such at 

 intermedial, examination maj be less urgent, though 

 one doubts if the need is entirely removed. A 

 further test to ensure a grounding in, not a mere 

 smattering of, all the principal sciences would seem 

 desirable. Then the actual degree examination could 

 have a more restricted range, and at the same time 

 be of a more advanced character than it is presumablv 

 at present. Part II. of this Tripos could then be mor. 

 circumscribed as to its subject-matter, and might with 

 advantage consist partly of a training in research 

 Surelv, for instance, the whole domain of either 

 physics or chemistry is too vast a field for_ anyone 

 adequately to explore and master with profit for a 

 single examination. 



Little change, I surmise, beyond the abolition of 

 that irritating second subject in Part II., has taken 

 place in the Natural Sciences Tripos since the early 

 'nineties, when I was closely familiar with it. If a 

 radical reconstruction be not feasible, may I plead for 

 a greater selection of subjects for Part II. by the 

 introduction of border-line ones? By way of illustra- 

 tion, let me refer to one of these — biochemistry. Have 

 not tin- watertight-compartment s\siem and the 

 lack of breadth in the elementary training arising 

 from the option of subjects acted adversely on the 

 output of biochemical research (at any rate, as applied 

 to plants) by the Cambridge school? For instance, 

 the newly fledged botanist who may desire to research 

 in plant' physiology from the chemical side is often 

 hampered at the start from his lack of knowledge of, 

 and want of practice in. organic chemistry. The 

 chemist, on the other hand, through being allowed to 

 ignore biology in his training, may not only feel 

 himself unfitted to tackle biochemical problems, but 

 may even he unmoved by them; and yet from his fami- 

 liarity with organic chemistry he may be quite com- 

 petent to attack them from this side. The introduction 

 of ., subject in Part II. embracing, say, organii 

 chemistry and the physiology of animals or plants (01 

 both, li hoi too extensive) would tend to produce men 

 thorough! equipped to undertake biochemical re- 

 search. Sureh here the harvesl is -real, but lb- 

 labourers still ire few. John Parkin. 



The ('.ill. Bravton, Cumberland, February S. 



Arthur Eckley Ltohmere and Science at Ruhleben. 



'I'm-: sad news of the premature death on 

 February 14 of Dr. A. F. Lechmere prompts me to 

 wiii. a' few words on what ibis distinguished and 

 promising biologist was to us ,,| Ruhleben. It wa 

 the writer's privilege to collaborate with Dr. l.echrnei 

 and others in the building up of that little oasifi 

 Ruhleben, the natural science laboratories. 



Unique as an institution— science laboratories ti 

 V 1. 2574. VOL. I02] 



an internment camp — unique also in their aboriginal 

 primitiveness the hay-loft, and later the horse-boxes. 

 of the oldest and most ramshackle stable in the camp 

 thej became in course of lime quite well .quipped, 

 ami the scene, not onlv ..1 steady ami systematic 

 1 idling and study, but even of research. 

 The history of the science laboratories ai Ruhleben 



is the hislni\ of a development in the face- of powerful 



internal and, external opposition, and ma\ be said to 

 have reached its. climax on the occasion of the Natural 

 Sciences l-.xbibition in September, niiS, when the 

 laboratories ..1 Ruhleben were thrown open to the 

 general public'' of the camp and proved themselves 

 the greatest popular attraction thai the camp had 

 1 penenced, receiving in due course the patronage 

 also of the commanding officer and his staff. 



Of all those who worked assiduously for ill.- cause 



of science in Ruhleben, Dr. Lechmere was alike the 

 most distinguished ami the most enthusiastic. A 

 keen worker and a true lover "l science, he was at 

 the same time a man of extraordinary versatility. 

 II. was qualified as an electrical engineer, and at 

 Kuhleb.n, besides inaugurating ami leading the 

 biological department), he devoted considerable time 

 .im\ thought to artistic bookbinding and to the de- 

 igning md finishing of dresses .ml decorations fcr 

 ihe Ruhlebi n stage. 



During his four years at Ruhleben Dr. Lechmere 

 gave numerous popular lectures to large audiences 

 on biological subjects of general interest, such as 

 evolution, parasitic diseases, inoculation fat the time 

 of the smallpox scare), "Some Monkeys and Man," 

 .te,, generally illustrated with lantern-slides, most 

 of which were made by himself at Ruhleben. In 

 the biology laboratory itself he was always at work, 

 and found" in the small pond situated in the- middle 

 of the playing-field a plentiful reservoir for, in par- 

 ticular, microzoological study. 



The writer speaks as a layman on the 9ubjei 

 biology, but he can safeh assert that the biologA 

 laboratory, with its first-class microtome, its stock 

 of fine microscopes, its excellent electrically regulated 

 thermostats, was an achievement thai the camp 

 could be proud of, and Dr. Lechmere himself loved 

 1 he place and practically lived in it 



As the laboratory accommodation and the facilities 

 grew, the contact' between the various branches ..t 

 natural science became more close, geology, chemist rv. 

 and phvsics all having a large number of students 

 Thus laboratory work could be found in all branches 

 for students of natural science, and we ma\ say that 

 nothing could have been more harmonious than the 

 co-operation of all the science departments of Ruhleben 

 Camp School. 



Space here does not admit of a description of the- 

 exhibition; mav it suffice to say thai one could occupy 

 ,e\eral bonis profitably in passing through and ob- 

 serving the various exhibits ami lb.- experiments being 

 carried out ; it was noted that its effect was n. stimu- 

 late energeticall) the interest of the general publii in 

 natural science. 



To this achievement^ of the sciences in Ruhleben 

 Dr. Lechmere contributed the largest share, and con- 

 tributed ii with that extraordinary grace and will; 

 that infinite kindness which were his. He was often 

 in bad health. The severe winters in almosl un- 

 healed barracks told 011 him. But he stuck to his 

 task und.-r the most trying conditions. to his 

 colleagues ami friends al Ruhleben, to the 

 Students who profiled bv bis wonderful teaching ami 

 lecturing, many of whom an now pursuing their 

 studies at our universities to all these his untimeh 



I,. ,ih, coming so soon all., his return to England 



- deeph tragic. 1- w B - 



