456 
how severe were some of those which are re- 
corded in history for the reason that statistical 
data concerning them is meager and imper- 
fect. It is said that in 1889-90 no less than 
25 per cent. of the population was attacked in 
London; 33 in Antwerp; 39 in Massachusetts, 
and in Paris, 50. In 1832-33 about 40 per 
cent. of the population of Paris is believed to 
have been affected. In 1872, three quarters of 
the population of London and some German 
cities were supposed to have suffered. The rec- 
ords of earlier visitation are more obscure. 
Many observers of pandemics in other years 
have pointed out that influenza is a more fatal 
disease than is commonly understood, the 
fatality being due chiefly to lung and heart 
complications which do not promptly manifest 
themselves. Thus, although the number of 
deaths directly attributed to influenza in Eng- 
land and Wales in 1890 was reported as 4,523 
per million, the Registrar General, by analysis 
of the vital statistics for the period, stated that 
the number of deaths directly or indirectly at- 
tributable was 27,074 per million, or nearly 
seven times the apparent rate. In London the 
general death rate was increased by over 20 
per cent., in Berlin by more than 60 per cent. 
and in Paris and Brussels by over 100 per cent. 
No records now available show that there has 
ever been so much fatal pneumonia as in the 
present pandemic 
The total number of cases of influenza in the 
present outbreak, inside and outside of the 
army camps, will never be accurately known. 
Although it is beyond doubt that the disease 
which is prevalent in the camps is the same as 
that which is widely distributed in civil life, 
it is not to be assumed that all the cases which 
oceur are officially reported or that every case 
which is supposed te be influenza is really that 
disease. At this season of year there are al- 
ways epidemics of colds and other respiratory 
infections. The weather this year has been 
particularly favorable to their occurrence. 
Under the present conditions of public anxiety, 
it is but natural that all cases of illness which 
at all resemble influenza should receive that 
designation. The net result of all the factors 
which enter into the matter is confusion. The P 
SCIENCE 
[N. 8. Von. XLVIIT. No. 1245 
army records have been systematically tabu- 
lated and studied from the first. When the 
pandemic has subsided the information to be 
derived from these data should be of much 
permanent value. 
Grorce A. Soprr 
Magsor, SANITARY Corps, U.S. A., 
October 26, 1918 
BRITISH SCIENCE IN INDUSTRY? 
AFTER years of what appeared to be fruitless 
discussion of the relations between industry 
and science and an annual crop of proposals 
as to the means whereby these relations might 
be improved, it would seem that a beginning 
is being made with the garnering of the har- 
vest. We have not altogether perhaps lost our 
old habit of carrying out the pioneer work in 
the scientific field and leaving to others the 
commercial tillage; but the shock of war has 
modified the attitude of the devotee of pure 
science to industrial problems, and the manu- 
facturer has had proof that the head of the 
research worker is not always in the clouds. 
Both parties are learning to respect each other, 
and the result is proving a national benefit. 
Some of the directions in which the gain has 
been made are revealed in the exhibition or- 
ganized by the British Science Guild which 
is now being held at King’s College. 
INITIAL DIFFICULTIES 
It need hardly be stated that the difficulties 
which stood in the way of the organizers were 
by no means insignificant. Not only had the 
sanction of the Ministry of Munitions and 
the Board of Trade to be obtained, but as the 
usual charge for space has not been made to 
exhibitors it has been necessary to meet the 
cost mainly by voluntary contributions and the 
fact that the exhibition is in no sense a trade 
fair where orders may be obtained has limited 
the display to those who were actuated by a 
sense of public spirit rather than any hope of 
pecuniary gain. The scope of the exhibition, 
which it was desired to make representative 
of industrial development since the war be- 
1 From the London Times. 
