August 12, 1921] 



SCIENCE 



125 



longs to that group of public officials, grow- 

 ing increasingly prominent in the scientific 

 and technical services of the government, who 

 willingly forego the rewards and comforts that 

 their brilliant abilities might easily win for 

 them in other walks of life, in order that they 

 may follow the highest ideals of their profes- 

 sion. In the example of his splendid life, in 

 the influence of his wise and unerring judg- 

 ment and counsel, and in his splendid ideal- 

 ism, Fischer will continue to live on, in the 

 years that stretch out before, in the memory 

 of those whose lives were enriched by his 

 friendship. 



C. W. Waidner 



SCIENTIFIC EVENTS 



THE BRITISH NATIONAL PHYSICAL LABORA- 

 TORY 



The report of The British National Phys- 

 ical Laboratory for 1920, which was recently 

 issued, gives a survey of the work carried out 

 in the various departments during that year, 

 and also a statement of the program for 1921- 

 22. 



From the abstract in the London Times we 

 learn that in regard to testing work, the 

 charges for which have been revised owing to 

 increased cost, the number of tests made in 

 some departments was considerably smaller 

 than in the preceding year and even than in 

 the year before the war, though in others an 

 increase is recorded. Of clinical thermometers 

 no fewer than 1,598,100 were tested, and it is 

 interesting that there has been a steady im- 

 provement in the quality of the instruments 

 since the introduction of the order requiring 

 them to be submitted to test. 



In spite of the falling off in the routine 

 work of certain sections, the activities of the 

 laboratory continue to grow, and the demands 

 upon it are likely to be increased in conse- 

 quence of the steps taken by the government 

 for the establishment of coordinating research 

 boards for physics, chemistry, engineering, 

 and radio research. The Radio Kesearch 

 Board has drawn up and approved a scheme 

 of research to be carried out at the laboratory, 

 and the Physics Research Board has also in- 



dicated certain lines of research which it is 

 considered desirable the laboratory should 

 take up. Some additions to the buildings 

 have been authorized and others are under 

 consideration. The space available for ex- 

 tension is, however, very limited, and accord- 

 ingly measures have been taken to secure 

 land for building purposes immediately ad- 

 joining the laboratory grounds. 



As usual, in addition to researches of a. 

 general character, the laboratory has in hand 

 various special investigations for government 

 departments and other bodies. The Photom- 

 etry Divison, for example, has undertaken 

 experiments on ships' navigation lamps for 

 the Board of Trade, on miners' lamps for the 

 Home Office, and on motor-car head lamps for 

 the Ministry of Transport. It is assisting the 

 Office of Works in connection with the light- 

 ing of government offices, museums, and other 

 buildings. Experiments have been made for 

 the purpose of securing adequate illumina- 

 tion on the walls at the National Gallery, 

 while avoiding direct sunlight and of 

 diminishing as far as possible reflection of 

 objects and people in the glass covering the 

 pictures. Measurements in the Houses of 

 Parliament have shovm that, especially in the 

 House of Commons, the illumination is very 

 low — less on the average than the equivalent 

 of one candle at a foot, whereas it is usually 

 considered that three or four times as much 

 should be provided for the easy reading of 

 such matter as manuscript notes. 



RESOLUTIONS OF THE MEDICAL BOARD OF 

 THE JOHNS HOPKINS HOSPITAL 



The resolutions limiting the fees of sur- 

 geons operating at the Johns Hopkins Hos- 

 pital to $1,000 and fees for hospital visits to 

 $35 weekly, recently passed by the trustees on 

 the recommendation of the Medical Board, 

 are as follows : 



Whereas, the trustees of the Johns Hopkins 

 Hospital desire that all patients may leave the 

 hospital feeling that they have received not only 

 proper professional, nursing and administrative 

 service, but also that they have been dealt with 

 fairly in every particular, including charges for 

 medical and surgical service; and 



