September 12, 1912] 



NATURE 



A7 



molecular change of molecules derived from a study 

 of gases." 



It seems to me that just as atoms may be structures 

 built of sub-atoms of some kind, and just as molecules 

 of gases are built of atoms variously linked together, 

 it is reasonable to conceive that molecules might 

 combine to form aggregates, particularly when con- 

 stituting solids; that as the sub-atoms may be con- 

 ceived to have a combining valency — and the atoms 

 are already accredited with this property, and in addi- 

 tion, as is' supposed with Thiele's partial or Werner's 

 auxiliary valencies — molecules may have valencies 

 also whereby to combine into molecular aggregates. 

 It may be presumed that such aggregates are more 

 complicated in structure, and thus may give rise to 

 greater variety of isomerides, and be more readily 

 transmutable than gaseous molecules. If such aggre- 

 gates of gaseous molecules exist they might explain 

 not only the easily changed isomerides recently studied, 

 but also the large class of "molecular compounds" of 

 the older chemists. I imagine someone saying that in 

 suggesting this hypothesis — which by the way is not 

 new, for it is mentioned in Ostwald's " Outlines " — I 

 am violating the canon to which I have myself sub- 

 scribed, as a condition of a scientific h\j)othesis, that 

 it should be verifiable. Perhaps we carry our critical 

 faculty sometimes too far. It is most highly scientific 

 to doiibt, but doubt which is merely destructive has 

 little value ; rather, with Descartes, it should lead 

 on to construction, for he who builds even imperfectly 

 is better than he who simply destroys. And I do not 

 doubt that some way will be found to study solids and 

 obtain data that \vill lead to the determination of 

 their molecular aggregate weights. The study of 

 molecular volumes of solid solutions ; the remarkable 

 results obtained by Pope and Barlow; Tutton's work 

 on crystallography, and much besides, induce the hope 

 that some day solids, like gases, will find their 

 Avogadro. 



Part III. 



Pursuit of Chemistry Justified by its Useful 



Applicability. 



In the pursuit of all this abstract theory, and still 

 more so in the bewildering multitude of undigested 

 individual facts, there is danger that important and 

 fundamental, even moral, considerations may be lost 

 sight of. For example, take the fundamental ques- 

 tion : Why should we pursue chemistry? No doubt 

 it is considered by its votaries, those who seek in our 

 laboratories to advance the science, that they are 

 entitled to have provided for them, and will be 

 rewarded by the provision of, the ordinary means of 

 livelihood; but these, it will scarcely be denied, could 

 generally be far better assured by other pursuits. It 

 is suggested that intellectual discipline is a reason ; 

 but, I ask, for what purpose? Will anyone pretend 

 that intellectual discipline without utilitarian object, 

 without the possibility of using it for the betterment 

 of society, is a worthy pursuit? I think not. But, 

 in any case, none of us have devoted ourselves to 

 chemistry merely for the sharpening of our wits. 

 Again, someone suggests that chemistry and learning 

 generally should be pursued for their own sake. In a 

 recent most interesting and inspiring academic 

 address' Prof. Sir Walter Raleigh commends "those 

 who seek nothing from knowledge but the pleasure 

 of understanding." If such a statement bears its 

 most obvious meaning then, I venture to think that, 

 in common with intellectual discipline without the 

 intention of applying to a useful object the intellect 

 so trained, such a reason is selfish, inadequate, and 

 unworthv, and does not justify the pursuit of any- 

 thing. No ; research in chemistry apart from the 



1 "The Meaning of a University." (Clarendon Press, 1911.) 



NO, 2237, VOL. go] 



possibility of applying it to the advantage of humanity 

 cannot be defended. The mastery of the seemingly 

 unlimited resources of Nature which chemistry 

 achieves more and more and its use to alleviate the 

 misery and add to the happiness of mankind are (he 

 only worthy and effective defence. And that this is 

 the underlying ideal, in point of fact, that leads the 

 chemist onward, not necessarily that he is always 

 conscious of it, but always when he reflects, I think 

 cannot be doubted. But, of course, no narrow idea of 

 utility must be aimed at. Practically any chemical 

 inquiry may lead to results of material advantage. 

 Certainly nothing could be more mischievous than to 

 make a narrow immediate utility the test. It would 

 be easy to illustrate all this from the records of 

 science, but instances in point are so well known that 

 it is unnecessary. 



On the other hand, it should not be forgotten that 

 in making use of the manifold advantages derived 

 from the growth of science, humanity, on its part, 

 owes a great debt to scientific inquirers, and ought 

 to feel it a sacred duty to do in return all in its power 

 by support and encouragement to further scientific 

 research. As Sir Walter Raleigh, in the address 

 alreadv referred to, says ^ — "It is so easy to use the 

 resources of civilisation that we fall into the habit of 

 regarding them as if they were ours by right. They 

 are not ours by right ; they come to us by free gift 

 from the thinkers." 



Some Concrete Applications of the Science. 

 That this advantage to civilisation has been, and is, 

 the result of the pursuit and consequent advance of 

 chemistry is happily a truth that is well known. 

 There is scarcely an industry or a profession that has 

 not been materially influenced or even created by the 

 discoveries of chemistry, and therefore the welfare 

 of nations is most intimately concerned in promoting 

 its advancement. Now, it is common knowledge that 

 no country has appreciated this to the same degree 

 as Germany. It will, therefore, be worth our while 

 to consider a moment the inauguration in Berlin, a 

 vear ago, of an entirely new institution, the Kaiser 

 Wilhelm Institut, for the promotion and organisation 

 of chemical research. This research is to be effected 

 throughout the German Empire, in the universities, 

 the technical high schools, or in works, and it is 

 supported mainly, at least at first, by subscriptions of 

 the chemical manufacturers. An address of very 

 great importance was delivered at its opening by 

 Prof. Emil Fischer, than whom, perhaps, no one 

 living has added more to the progress of chemistry. 

 .\ translation of this address appeared in Nature, 

 and, with additions, has since been published in a 

 convenient book form.- In this address an authorita- 

 tive accovmt is given of the main contributions of 

 chemistrv to the national welfare, which even to those 

 familiar with the subject must be astonishing in their 

 importance, variety, and universality. It includes the 

 applications of the science to problems of nourish- 

 ment, to agriculture, and food supply ; to engineer- 

 ing, metallurgy, cements ; to clothing, artificial silk, 

 or to colouring — dyes; to indiarubber production, 

 both natural and artificial ; to perfumery — artificial 

 violet and other artificial floral perfumes, even that 

 of the rose ; to svnthetic camphor ; to drugs and 

 svnthetic materia medica, including the recent arsenic 

 and selenium organic compounds which promise so 

 much in the treatment of cancer and other fatal 

 diseases ; to radio-activity, to therapeutics, to the 

 destruction of pathogenic microbes ; to ' methods of 

 sewage disposal; to the preparation of efficient ex- 



- " Chemical Research in its Bearings on >(alioual Welfai 

 T9-2-) ■ ■ 



(London, 



