156 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. L. No. 1285 



rranklin Martin, of Cliioago. This committee 

 will send a delegate to assist tlie London Med- 

 ical Committee here in the detailed organiza- 

 tion of the hospital. It has, we are informed, 

 been planned upon the most modem lines, 

 and will be complete in every department of 

 medical and surgical activity; accommodation 

 will be arranged for every class of patient. 

 A research institute, modelled upon the Rocke- 

 feller Foundation of New York, will form an 

 integral part of the plan. The consulting 

 stafi will bring together distinguished mem- 

 bers of the profession in the United States 

 and Great Britain. The visiting staff will be 

 nominated by the executive medical com- 

 mittee. The governing council of the hos- 

 pital consists of many prominent members of 

 the American colony in London. Mr. Philip 

 Franklin is acting as honorary secretary. 



THE COMMITTEE ON FOOD AND NUTRITION 

 OF THE NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL 



This committee held an organization meet- 

 ing at Cornell University Medical College, 

 New York City, on July 11. The following 

 tentative program was presented by Professor 

 Henry P. Armsby and was adopted with but 

 slight modifications: 



Eegarding the eommittee as being substantially 

 a coordinating rather than a research body, the 

 following tentative outline of objects and methods 



OBJECTS 



1. To promote scientific research upon the nu- 

 trition of men and of animals (especially animals 

 of agricultural importance) and to bring about 

 closer relations between the two fields of work. 



2. To promote study of the economic aspects of 

 nutrition — t. e., study of national and international 

 as distinguished from personal nutrition. 



4. Pending the possible establishment of a Na- 

 tional Institute of Nutrition, to act as an unofficial 

 clearing house for existing research institutions and 

 to promote coordination of both American and 

 foreign research. 



4. To promote sane and authoritative extension 

 and propaganda work in the interest of better nu- 

 trition. 



METHODS 



In considering methods, it must be borne in mind 

 that the committee has only moral and not manda- 



tory authority. In all plans, care must be taken 

 to preserve the democracy of science. 



1. (o) Preparation of a broad program of research 



in both human and animal nutrition, em- 

 phasizing especially gaps in present 

 knowledge with suggestion of problems of 

 more immediate importance. 

 (6) Maintenance of research fellowships.- 

 (c) Subsidizing of especially important re- 

 searches. 



2. (a) The cooperation of statistical agencies 



would appear necessary. 



3. (a) Meetings of the committee and of nutrition 



investigators in general, especially for 

 the sake of maintaining personal touch 

 and considering programs of research. 



(6) Correspondence and publications. 



(c) Eepresentation of the United States in the 

 International Scientific Commission of 

 Nutrition. 



4. (a) Cooperation with existing governmental 



agencies and educational institutions, 

 especially of the land grant colleges. 

 (&) Cooperation with the American Public 

 Health Association. 



Among the questions affecting public wel- 

 fare which require immediate investigation, 

 the committee considered the following the 

 most important: 



(a) Practical changes in methods of food 

 production for the purpose of reducing the cost 

 of living without reducing the quality of nu- 

 trition. 



(6) Diet in relation to industrial efficiency. 



(c) The food requirements of growing chil- 

 dren. 



It was estimated that thirteen fellows of the 

 National Research Council could profitably be 

 put to work at once upon these problems and 

 various possible sources of funds were dis- 

 cussed. 



Miss Isabel Bevier was elected an additional 

 member of the subcommittee on human nutri- 

 tion and Dr. W. H. Jordan and President Ray- 

 mond A. Pearson were elected additional mem- 

 bers of the sub-committee on animal nutrition. 



Information has been received from Dr. 

 Alonzo E. Taylor, who is still in Paris, that 

 " The Inter- Allied Scientific Food Coromis- 

 sion closed its existence at Brussels on May 

 25 with recommendations to the governments 



