656 TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION B. 



working out scientific problpuis. Organisations of this kind coulJ not fail to 

 command success, and the opsonic curve of our chemical industries would soon 

 begin to rise. 



There is one institution, not a teaching body, which might greatly assist in 

 this movement: I refer to the Institute of Chemistry of Great Britain and 

 Ireland. This body desires and claims to represent chemistry, not only in these 

 islands, bitt in all our dominions, and also to exercise some supervision or control 

 over public appointments. It examines in chemistry and grants diplomas, and 

 claims that its examinations are a test of practical ability rather than ot 

 theoretical knowledge. I have not a word to say against the character of Ihese 

 examinations, but to imagine that the Institute of Chemistry qualification is the 

 hall-mark of a chemist is ridiculous. An average student can obtain the diploma 

 after three, or at the A'ery most four, years' work subsequent to matriculation, 

 and more easily than the London B.Sc. (external). Here, again, it should be 

 recognised that the present Institute of Chemistry qualification is only a step in 

 the training of a chemist ; the permission to present a thesis for the associate 

 examination should be withdrawn, and good research work should be insisted on 

 in the case of all candidates for the fellowship. It would then be possible to 

 distinguish between those who are capable routine chemists and those who 

 might be expected to advance pui-e and applied science. It is certainly a gi'ave 

 matter for an institution entirely controlled by chemists to set such a bad 

 example by ignoring the necessity of research work ; if all our official chemical 

 appointments and many of our posts in works are to be filled by men who have 

 done no independent scientific work, the results will be most serious ; the research 

 habit and the research method are not easily acquired without assistance, and 

 therefore it is all the more important to make use of this assistance while it is 

 within reach, and before the budding chemist begins to believe that he has 

 nothing more to learn. 



As a necessary corollary to making research compulsory in the training of 

 works-chemists, all our important teaching institutions must afford ample 

 opportunities for such work, and measures must be adopted to guard against that 

 failure of some of our universities as centres of research which was pointed out 

 by Professor Meldola. 



Such failure, whatever may be the contributory causes, must be principally 

 due to the absence of sufficient interest in research work on the part of the 

 professor, and it certainly seems surprising, at first sight, that in these days many 

 such professors are to be found ; but it must be remembered that although by 

 members of this Section research work is regarded as the highest and most 

 important of all professorial duties, this is not always the view of those who make 

 an appointment to a chair. 



In selecting a professor there are many other considerations which come into 

 play: his ability as a teacher in the class-room and laboratory ; his qualifications 

 as a popular exponent of science ; his power of organisation ; his bearing towards 

 his colleagues and his students — all these matters are of great and direct im- 

 portance to a university, and it is not to be wondered at that a man highly 

 (qualified in these accessories may sometimes be chosen even though he may take 

 no special interest in research work. 



The results of such an appointment, however, cannot fail to be most prejudiciol 

 to the highest interests of the university and of the country ; the chemistry depart' 

 ment becomes a chemistry school, but not a school of chemistry. 



Unfortunately, moreover, the results extend over a long period : this raises 

 another question which certainly requires attention if Ave are to become more 

 efiicient. 



It is far from my object to create any gratuitous insecurity of tenure in chairs 

 of chemistry, but is it not desirable that in our teaching institutions the con- 

 ditions of all appointments should include a superannuation clause ? Not that a 

 rigid age-limit should be introduced, but there should be a possibility of bring- 

 ing about the retirement of those who for any reason can no longer adequately 

 fulfil their duties. When, owing to the lapse of time, such retirement became 



