26 



jVA TURE 



[November 4, 1909 



meant as a substitute for bread should not bear the name, 

 and its composition sliould be declared at the time of sale. 

 It was subsequently declared that the addition of baking 

 powder, * bicarbonate of soda, and tartaric acid were quite 

 permissible and regular operations. Alum was entirely 

 prohibited. 



Coffee w'as clearly defined as being only worthy of that 

 name when derived from coffee berries and when free from 

 any foreign mixture, such as chicory or any other sub- 

 stance. Cocoa, on the other hand, was not so easily 

 defined. Long discussions on the composition of this pro- 

 duct took place in the section, and it was agreed that it 

 would be better to refer the matter to an international 

 commission of experts. The main question was as to 

 whether the addition of alkali to cocoa was justifiable or 

 not. The large manufacturers said that it was unneces- 

 sary, but the small makers, who were in the majority, held 

 to the view that not only was it allowable, but it was 

 necessary, so as to enable them to produce a cheaper cocoa 

 than that sold by the large makers, and at a cheaper price. 

 They asserted that the buyers for whom they catered 

 belonged to a class which could not afford the high prices 

 asked by large manufacturers. To prohibit the use of 

 alkali meant the practical extinction of the small makers 

 and the creation of a vast monopoly in the hands of a few. 

 The discussions on the subject in the hygienic section were 

 prolonged and sometimes very heated, but in the final issue 

 it xvas agreed that 2 per cent, of alkali should be allowed. 

 -An international commission will consider the whole matter, 

 as it appears that cheap cocoas are not only 

 .sophisticated with alkalis, but additions, w^hich are simpl'v 

 adulterations, are common. It is strange to hear, for 

 example, that one manufacturer uses paraffin wax in his 

 produce ! 



If the discussions on cocoa were animated, so also were 

 those on butter. At the Geneva congress there seemed to 

 be a feeling that the definition of pure butter was a political 

 rather than a hygienic question, and the voting seemed to 

 be between the fresh butter and the salt butter makers. 

 Owing to the greater attendance at the Paris congress there 

 was a greater body of opinion, hence the discussions were 

 more prolonged, and, for that matter, more interesting. 

 The first question was as to the empirical standard of 

 16 per cent, of water, which, it was declared, was too low 

 for general purposes. It was finally raised to iS per cent. 



The next question was in connection with the use of 

 preservatives, and it was shown that it was not possible to 

 conduct an export butter trade over any great distance 

 without the addition of some boron preservative. This 

 addition was allowed, and classed as a regular operation 

 {operation rcgiiUere), which means that it is now con- 

 sidered as necessary in the making of some kinds of butter 

 as is the addition of salt, and need not, therefore, be 

 declared. Colourings for food, confections, and liquids 

 came in for considerable attention, and it was found 

 impossible to resist the argument that the sale of many 

 alimentary products depended to a large extent on their 

 appearance, and the use of harmless colours was therefore 

 permitted. Twenty anilines were specifically mentioned as 

 being innocuous, and they embrace every shade used for 

 food purposes. 



The discussion of ice elicited quite a display of feeling, 

 and an acceptable definition was not arrived at without 

 some difliculty. It was finally agreed, however, that there 

 were two kinds of ice, namely, manufactured and artificial. 

 The manufactured article should be produced only from 

 sterilised or town's water. Natural ice could onlv be 

 admitted for addition to, or for bringing in contact with, 

 foods, when gathered from lakes, rivers, or canals under 

 proper sanitary control. 



Medicinal mineral waters did not emerge from the dis- 

 cussions well. It appears that there is quite an industrv 

 in manufacturing these and sending them out into the 

 world under apparently genuine labels, and the " source 

 naturelle," or natural spring, is too often the town supply 

 of water to which a small percentage of alkaline salts is 

 added ! To control fraud such as this is difiicult, and 

 nothing short of making it a penal offence would be of 

 much use. 



In connection with drugs, a long discussion ensued upon 

 the presentation of a brochure by Mr. C. Umney, in which 

 NO. 208S, VOL. 82] 



h; set forth the desirability of instituting international 

 control of specific substances, and it is not unlikely that, 

 as the matter is of such world-wide importance, an inter- 

 national commission may be appointed to study the whole 

 question in detail. 



These references will show that the work accomplished 

 was very great, for it must be borne in mind that each 

 subject on the programme had to be discussed and resolu- 

 tions arrived at. The manifest pains which were taken to 

 arrive at correct definitions impressed those present. 



The feature of this congress was earnestness and a strong 

 desire to coordinate practice with hygienic requirements, 

 and when the Comptes rendits are published it will be seen 

 how very thoroughly the work was carried out. 



It has not yet been decided where the next congress will 

 be held. The choice lies between Rome, Brussels, and 

 London, but a decision cannot be arrived at until later. 



It may be mentioned that much hospitality was shown 

 to the visitors. The city of Paris gave a reception at the 

 HStel de Ville, and the Minister of Finance at the Ministry. 

 Various visits to notable food factories, such as that of 

 Messrs. Potin and the chocolate factory of Messrs. 

 Menier, were arranged. Parties also visited tlie brewery, 

 of Messrs. Karcher, the Gobelins lace factory, and Sevres 

 porcelain works. Amongst those who dispensed lavish 

 private hospitality were Madame and M. Paul Bole, , to 

 whose initiative the White Cro§s Society of Geneva owes 

 its origin, and whose generosity enabled it to, call-thS' first 

 congress together at Geneva last year. 



Loudon M. Dol'Gl.iis. 



EDUCA TION A T THE BRJTISH ASSOC/A TION. 

 T^HERE can be no gainsaying the fact that education 

 received quite its lair sfiare of attention at Winnipeg 

 this year. Readers of N.ature have already had an oppor- 

 tunity of considering the words of warning in ^ir J. J. 

 Thomson's presidential address to the association on the 

 excessive competition for scholarships now confronting the 

 student of every grade in England, and on the evils which 

 the consequent premature specialisation brings in its train — 

 the dulled enthusiasm for knowledge and the inadequate 

 literary culture. In the physiological section, also, Prof. 

 E. H. Starling shed a fresh light on the meaning of the 

 word by applying to it tlie conception of man as the last 

 result of an evolutionary process. 



In the Educational Science Section itself. Dr. Gray's 

 presidential address, printed in Nature of October 7, was 

 concerned with " The Educational Factors of Imperialism," 

 and in the course of it he developed an attack on the 

 " grand old fortifying classical curriculum " with a bold- 

 ness remarkable in one who is at the head of an English 

 public school, and, as Prof. Armstrong said, is one of the 

 most successful teachers of Greek we have. 



Manitoba lags behind its younger sisters, .\lberta and 

 Saskatchewan, in that elementary education is not by law 

 compulsory, and the pronouncement made by Dr. 

 Kimmins, one of the vice-presidents of the section, in 

 favour of compulsion probably attracted as much outside 

 attention as any utterance in the section. F'or two days 

 the blackboards outside the ¥ree Press office, which 

 appear to constitute the principal reading of many in- 

 habitants of Winnipeg, informed the constant crowd that 

 " Dr. Kimmins had j?xpressed astonishment that education 

 was not compulsory in Manitoba." 



To the regular attendants of the 'section, however, the 

 contributions of the two .American vice-presidents. Prof. 

 Hugo Miinsterberg and Principal J. W. Robertson, were 

 the outstanding features of the meeting. 



Prof. Miinsterberg spoke at some length on the last day 

 of the meeting, and to a good audience, on the relations 

 of education and experimental psychology. He began by 

 drawing a striking contrast between the attitude of teachers 

 here and in America towards psychology. In England 

 psychology is neglected, and the teacher is like the farmer 

 who turns his back on chemistry — his methods remain 

 clumsy and old-fashioned. In .America, on the other hand, 

 the value of the subject is overestimated, and the teacher 

 commits the grave mistake of subordinating the whole of 

 his art to scientific psychology ; but a science gives us the 



