June 14, 1918] 



SCIENCE 



579 



the course of social evolution. If we suc- 

 ceed, individualism working collectively 

 will triumph over medieval collectivism. 



The influence of the evolutionarj' con- 

 ception may be seen again in our attitude 

 toward social problems such as disease and 

 crime. These are not inevitable conditions 

 to be treated by curative measures only. 

 They are to be attacked with all the knowl- 

 edge of hereditary and environmental fac- 

 tors we can command, and finally elimi- 

 nated by the evolution of a type of man 

 and a form of society in which such ex- 

 crescences will be non-existent. We are no 

 longer content with our lot, merelj' because 

 things have been as they are within the 

 memory of man or because we see no pros- 

 pect of immediate change. Things have 

 changed in the past and we want to change 

 them in the future. "We are not content to 

 let evolution take its course with us, we 

 want to make it go our way. Thus the in- 

 sight into social changes which evolution 

 brought has given a habit of mind that will 

 brook no restriction upon the human spirit. 

 As with philosophy, we have the change 

 incident to an outlook upon a dynamic as 

 opposed to a static world. 



In conclusion, we have shown that sci- 

 ence feeds the spiritual as well as the mate- 

 rial man. Science deals with what we can 

 measure and weigh, is wholly impersonal, 

 is a thing of the intellect rather than of the 

 emotions. But the intellect and the emo- 

 tions are not separate entities of the mind, 

 rather the mind is a unit which has its in- 

 tellectual and its emotional sides. The raw 

 material of scientific fact is susceptible of 

 unlimited organization within the mind and 

 this process of organization gives plaj' to 

 our spiritual nature. If we have made our 

 point, the progress of science has given the 

 spirit of man far more than it has taken 

 away. "Winterton C. Curtis 



TTniversitt or Missouri 



MEASURES FOR PROTECTING WHEAT FLOUR 

 SUBSTITUTES FROM INSECTS 



Readers of Science may be intercepted in work 

 being done to prevent the loss of wheat-flour 

 substitutes due to insect attack. Many of the 

 millers and dealers who handle the cereals 

 which the Food Administration is now re- 

 quiriiifr as substitutes for wheat flour have al- 

 ways recognized them as being subject to in- 

 sect attack to such a degree that it has been 

 considered poor policy to handle them ex- 

 tensively during the summer months. 



The amount of embryo which is included in 

 a flour, and the coarseness of the product are 

 usually taken as an index of susceptibility to 

 insect attack, coarse flours with the most em- 

 bryo being the most susceptible. The wheat- 

 flour substitutes and other cereals contain em- 

 bryo, are relatively coarse, and are known to 

 be highly susceptible to insect attack. 



Millers, dealers and consumers, will handle 

 more of the susceptible cereals than usual this 

 siunmer and, unless unusual care is taken to 

 protect them, the requirement of the Food Ad- 

 ministration may result in an increased loss 

 of food and thus defeat the object of the gov- 

 ernment. However, such losses can be pre- 

 vented and, if proper precautions are taken, 

 the handling of wheat-flour substitutes need 

 not lead to serious complications with insect 

 pests. The division of entomology and eco- 

 nomic zoology in cooperation with the depart- 

 ment of animal biology at the University of 

 Minnesota, and the Minnesota State Food 

 Administration have been outlining recom- 

 mendations and methods for aiding the mil- 

 lers, dealers and consumers of Minnesota in 

 preventing losses of wheat-flour substitutes. 

 The measures are preventive and it is pro- 

 posed to cover the state with propaganda be- 

 fore any serious trouble has arisen. 



The millers are probabl.v the best prepared 

 for the new conditions. The operators of the 

 large flour mills in Minneapolis have learned 

 from experience that these cereals must be 

 carefully handled and the.y were the first to 

 anticipate complications arising from the war- 

 time emergenc.v. The cereals which are put 

 upon the market in sacks are not permitted to 

 remain in storage but are hastened to the con- 



