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SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXX. No. 782 



importance and value of physical research 

 have also been recognized, and some few phys- 

 ical laboratories have been established. 



But although the establislunent of a re- 

 search laboratory by a large manufacturing 

 organization is no longer novel, the inception, 

 by such an organization, of a laboratory which 

 has for its object the development of science 

 rather than the improvement of some indus- 

 trial commodity is probably without precedent. 

 It, therefore, seemed to the writer that per- 

 haps a brief description of the new physical 

 laboratory of the National Electric Lamp As- 

 sociation, even though it is still only in the 

 formative stage, might be of interest to the 

 readers of Science. The object of this labo- 

 ratory is scientific, the specific purpose being 

 the development of those branches of science 

 with which the art of lighting is closely asso- 

 ciated. The fundamental idea which has pre- 

 vailed in the organization of the work is the 

 proper coordination of physics and physiology, 

 the proper cooperation of the physicist, the 

 physiologist and perhaps the psychologist. 



The organization of the laboratory is pro- 

 ceeding with this idea as the foundation. The 

 development contemplates no sharp distinc- 

 tions among the different divisions of the 

 work. The problems to be investigated, how- 

 ever, group themselves roughly into three 

 classes, and therefore require, in order to in- 

 sure the proper attention to each, a threefold 

 division in the organization. The three groups 

 of problems to be investigated may be classi- 

 fied as: (1) those that have to do with the 

 production of luminous energy; (2) those that 

 have to do with the utilization of luminous 

 energy, and (3) those that have to do with 

 the effects of luminous and attendant radia- 

 tion. 



Under the first class will come the investi- 

 gation of the laws of radiation, and of the 

 radiating properties of matter. The problems 

 in this class are purely physical and the cor- 

 responding division will be entrusted to a 

 competent physicist. 



Under the third class will come the investi- 

 gation of the effects of light and the attendant 

 radiations on the eye, on the skin and on 



microscopic organisms. The problems in this 

 class are physiological, and the corresponding 

 division is under the charge of a trained ex- 

 perimental physiologist. 



Intermediate between these two classes of 

 problems (the first and the third) which are 

 distinctly different, there is another (the 

 second) which forms the connecting link. 

 Touching on one side the physical production 

 of light, and on the other the physiological 

 effects of light, this intermediate division of 

 the work will embrace most of the scientific 

 problems peculiar to illuminating engineering. 

 Investigations of the absorbing, reflecting and 

 diffusing properties of matter, the measure- 

 ment of light, i. e., photometry, and the study 

 of the complex phenomena of color and color 

 sensation, properly come within the scope of 

 this department of the work. 



The present personnel of the laboratory, in 

 addition to the director and the necessary 

 auxiliary mechanical and clerical assistants, 

 is as follows : 



Mr. F. E. Cady, B.S., Massachusetts Insti- 

 tute of Technology, 1901; scientific assistant 

 to the director. Mr. Cady was formerly as- 

 sistant physicist in the Bureau of Standards, 

 Washington. 



Dr. Herbert E. Ives, B.S., University of 

 Pennsylvania, 1905; Ph.D., Johns Hopkins 

 University, 1908; physicist in charge of divi- 

 sion II. of the work as outlined above. Dr. 

 Ives was formerly assistant physicist in the 

 Bureau of Standards, Washington. 



Dr. Percy W. Cobb, B.S., Case School of 

 Applied Science, 1894; M.D., Western Ee- 

 serve University, 1902; physiologist in charge 

 of division III. of the work. Dr. Cobb was 

 formerly assistant in the physiological re- 

 search laboratory and lecturer on the special 

 senses at the Western Eeserve University. 



It is the intention to secure another physi- 

 cist to assume charge of division I., and in 

 addition several assistants,- as soon as the 

 development of the work justifies it. 



The laboratory at present is established in 

 a small one-story and basement brick building 

 originally occupied as office and laboratory by 

 Mr. Charles F. Brush. Adequate equipment 



