1921.] The Eighth Indian Science Congress. ecvii 
mation is not at all likely to hamper initiative, its tendency 
would rather be to suggest fresh lines of enquiry and to stimu- 
late the interest of those who are engaged in it. 
An aspect of medical research that is well worth attention 
is the maintenance of a just proportion between laboratory 
work and the observation of disease in human beings. Labora- 
tory work has many advantages, it is precise and easy of 
control, it is usually: carried on by experts who have specialised 
in their own subject, it is something of a novelty and it has 
an extraordinary record of brilliant successes. Observation of 
promotion of science. For these reasons it is not surprising 
workers and general practitioners. In spite of the triumphs of 
bacteriological work it must be insisted on that the final and 
crucial test in connection with any disease is not what is seen 
their husbands’ meal hardly ever suffer. : : 
For several years I have been struck by the relative rarity 
of cancer of the stomach in India as compared with surope. 
and the only explanation that appears to be plausible is that 
in cold climates the people are in the habit of drinking hot 
liquids while in India the tendency is to take cool drinks. It 
this suggestion proves to be well founded it follows that hot 
tea is responsible for many deaths. Far be it from me to say 
Vy ae : 
a word which will add to the trials of the much suffering tea 
