OcToBER 5, 1899] 
NATURE . 
563 
forms must be practically domesticated for the time being to 
supply the material. 
It may be objected, also, that in the investigation of domes- 
ticated forms sordid interests will play too prominent a part. 
No doubt to the true scientific man the study of zoology for its 
own sake, that is, for an insight into the fundamental laws of 
life, is a sufficient incentive and reward. Judging from the 
past, the study of the domestic animals in any other way than 
in a scientific spirit and by the scientific method will prove 
barren ; but studied in that spirit and by that method the result 
has always justified the effort, and has thrown as much, if not 
more, light upon biological problems than an equally exact 
study of a wild form. 
Therefore, while purely practical ends can never supply the 
inspiration to true scientific work, still surely no scientific man 
could feel anything but happiness that his work had in some 
ways added to the sum of human well-being. Perhaps no one 
has expressed so well the sympathy of a scientific man with his 
fellow-men as Pasteur in the preface to his work on the silkworm 
diseases : ‘* Although I devoted nearly five consecutive years to 
the laborious experimental researches which have affected my 
health, I am glad that undertook them. . . . The results which 
I have obtained are perhaps less brilliant than those which I 
might have anticipated from researches pursued in the field of 
pure science, but I have the satisfaction of having served my 
country in endeavouring, to the best of my ability, to discover a 
remedy for great misery. It is to the honour ofa scientific man 
that he values discoveries which at their birth can only obtain 
the esteem of his equals, far above those which at once conquer 
the favour of the crowd by the immediate utility of their ap- 
plication ; but in the presence of misfortune it is equally an 
honour to sacrifice everything in the endeavour to relieve it. 
Perhaps, also, I may have given young investigators the salutary 
example of lengthy labours bestowed upon a difficult and un- 
grateful subject.” 
In conclusion Prof. Gage summarised his address by saying : 
However necessary and desirable it may have been in the past 
that the main energy of zoologists should be employed in the 
description of new species and in the making of fragmentary ob- 
servations upon the habits, structure and embryology of a 
multitude of forms, I firmly believe that necessity or even de- 
sirability has long since passed away, and that for the advance- 
ment of zoological science the work of surpassing importance 
confronting us is the thorough investigation of a few forms from 
the ovum to youth, maturity and old age. And I also firmly 
believe that, whenever available, the greatest good to science, 
and thus to mankind, will result from a selection of domesticated 
forms for these thorough investigations. 
In the Section of Botany, Prof. Barnes discussed the chief 
features of plant physiology in which notable progress has been 
making during the last decade. The great advances in plant 
chemics and physics ; the progress in the investigation of causes 
of plant form : the widening ideas of the property of irritability ; 
the investigation of the social relations of plants, and the minute 
study of cellaction in spite of their diversity, have one great end in 
view. This is nothing less than the solution of the great problem— 
the fundamental problem—of plant physiology as of animal physi- 
ology, namely the constitution of living matter. Entrenched 
within the apparently impregnable fortress of molecular structure 
this secret lies hid. The attacks upon it from the direction of 
physical chemistry and physiological morphology, of irritability, 
of ecology and of cytology are the concentrating attacks of 
various divisions of an army upon a citadel some of whose 
outer defences have already been captured. The innumerable 
observations are devised along parallel lines of approach, and 
each division of the army is creeping closer and closer to the 
inner defences, which yet resist all attacks and hide the long- 
sought truth. 
One outer circle of defences yet remains untaken, and until 
that falls it would seem that there is little hope of capturing the 
inner citadel. More must be known of the constitution of dead sub- 
stances chemically related to the living ones. When the students 
of chemistry can put the physiologists into possession of the facts 
regarding dead proteids, the attacks will be renewed more 
directly, with greater vigour and greater hope of success. 
It is not possible to prove to-day that life and death are only 
a difference in the chemical and physical behaviour of certain 
compounds. It is safe to say that the future is likely to justify 
such an assertion. 
NO. 1562, VOL. 60] 
UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 
INTELLIGENCE. 
CAMBRIDGE.—Eleven county and borough councils have 
arranged with the Board of Agricultural Studies to make grants 
for the maintenance of the new department of Agriculture 
established under the direction of Prof. Somerville. The first 
list of lectures issued by the Board includes some seventeen 
courses. 
In the valedictory address delivered by Dr. Hill on vacating’ 
the office of Vice-Chancellor, reference was ‘made to the fact 
that before the close of the academic year the contributions to 
the Benefaction Fund amounted to upwards of 50,000/. ; also 
that a commencement has been made with the new Geological 
Museum. The Museum will cost about 44,000/7., of which sum the 
fund raised as a memorial to Prof. Sedgwick will supply 27,0002. 
A TECHNICAL and mining college is to be established at 
Wigan at an estimated cost of 40,000/, 
THE Rev. J. F. Cross has been appointed professor of 
mathematics at St. John’s University, Winnipeg. 
Pror. A. McADIE has been appointed honorary lecturer on 
meteorology in connection with the Berkeley Astronomical 
Department of the University of California. 
Mr. THEODORE Morison has been appointed principal of 
the Aligarh Mahomedan College. The new principal, who is 
at present in this country, has been authorised to select two new 
professors to take out with him. 
Pror. WacstaFF will lecture on geometry at Gresham 
College from October 10 to 13, and the Rev. E. Ledger’s course 
of lectures on astronomy at the same institution will take place 
from November 14 to 17. 
THE degree of Doctor of Pharmacy has just been conferred 
by the University of Paris for the first time. The recipient is 
M. Lacourt, whose graduation thesis was entitled ‘‘ Historical, 
Chemical and Bacteriological Study of the Versailles Water.” 
THE fifteen universities of France together have a total of 
27,080 students, of whom 12,059 belong to Paris. The total 
expenditure is 13,859,500 francs, so that the average cost of the 
education of each student is 511 francs (a trifle over 20/.). To 
meet this expense the universities have revenues amounting 
collectively to 2,093,700 francs; legacies, donations, &c., 
amount to 1,511,600 francs; therefore a deficit of 10,524,200 
francs (equivalent to nearly 15/. for each student) has each year 
to be made up by the State. 
ArT the half-yearly meeting of the court of governors of Owens 
College, Manchester, held on Tuesday last, the following 
resolution was carried by a majority of two :—‘‘ That, subject 
to such limitations and conditions as the council may from time 
to time determine, and subject to the council being able to make 
satisfactory provision for a separate instruction in such cases as 
the council consider necessary, the court is of opinion that it 
would be desirable to admit women students to the course of 
study which would qualify them for medical degrees and 
practice.” 
ACCORDING to the Allahabad Pioneer M/az/, during the past 
year no fewer than 11,000 candidates presented themselves for 
the various examinations of the Madras University, and of these 
slightly over 4000 were successful. The fees paid by candidates 
amounted to nearly Rs. 1,87,000 ; while sundry items, including 
about Rs. 10,000 interest on Government securities, swelled the 
income of the University to a little over two lakhs of rupees, 
The total expenditure for the year came up to Rs. 1,80,000, of 
which sum Rs. 1,38,000 were absorbed by examiners’ fees. 
The Arts Examinations, as usual, yielded the greatest portion of 
the University income—the total fees realised from candidates 
amounted to over one and a half lakhs of rupees, while pay- 
ments to examiners came up to Rs. 90,000, The Law Examin- 
ations yielded a quarter of a lakh of rupees, while the examiners 
fees only amounted to slightly over half thissum. The Medical 
and Engineering Examinations, however, are conducted at a 
loss ; but, after balancing receipts and expenditure, the 
University realised a net profit during the past year of 
Rs. 10,000, without reckoning the Rs. 10,000 accruing as 
interest from Government securities. 
