1897] _ _.. EDITORIALS - 201 
selfishness and arise from a too keen appreciation of. one’s own 
importance. It is fostered by official life, and in its extreme develop- 
ment becomes bureaucracy. 
THE REORGANIZATION of government scientific work under a single 
department would be a long step in advance. It can be effected so 
gradually as not to interfere with the present efficiency. It is not 
advocated as a panacea. It would not remove jealousy, but it would 
minimize its evil effects. If proper accommodations for the depart- 
ment were provided, it would save money for investigations by con- 
centrating routine work and enormously reducing the outlay for 
apparatus and fittings. It ought not to reduce the number of men 
engaged in investigation, but it might greatly reduce the number 
necessary for routine and office work. If reasonably administered 
such a department would not hamper but promote energetic develop- 
ment of research; it would not discourage but foster initiative in 
heads of divisions. In short the suggestion seems to have everything 
in its favor and nothing against it but pessimistic fears. If it were 
adopted as a policy by Congress and executed under the advice of 
the National Academy, we should expect to see the botanical work of 
the government promoted rather than retarded by the change. 
ANOTHER FLAGRANT case of ignorance. of American «research has 
just come to our notice. Indeed from the facts as they are at present 
ae known to us it would seem that it is notso much ignor- 
Neglect of ance as a deliberate ‘gvorizg of American work. - In the 
i present number is a notice of the investigations of Paul 
Research and Krénig upon the effects of salts and acids in dilute 
solutions upon bacteria. The effects are due in such 
cases largely to electrolytic dissociation of the substances and_ action 
of the ions thus formed. Paul and Krénig reached the same results, 
mutatis mutandis, as those reached previously by Kahlenberg and True 
in their researches with beans, and confirmed by Heald with.other seed 
plants. Kahlenberg and True were the pioneers in this line of investi- 
gation. They published their results with almost complete details in 
this journal for August last. Immediately upon its publication a copy 
of this paper was sent to Professor Ostwald, under whose direction 
Paul and Krénig were working. - This must have been in his hands at 
least two months before — = went to — ——— longer. 
