OCTOBEB 19, 1906.] 



SCIENCE. 



493 



industry from a manufacturing point of 

 view. After this I occupied myself with 

 scientific research, some of which was con- 

 nected with coal-tar coloring matter, but 

 mostly with other subjects. Some of these 

 are still occupying my attention. But I 

 must not enter into details, as time would 

 fail me. 



One of the most remarkable develop- 

 ments of the industry has been the artificial 

 production of indigo, and, curiously, the 

 first process for its manufacture, discov- 

 ered by Professor v. Baeyer, was dependent 

 for its success on the method of producing 

 cinnamic acid, discovered in my purely 

 scientific investigations, and this dye is now 

 manufactured so cheaply that the cultiva- 

 tion of the indigo plant has been discon- 

 tinued in many parts of India. 



As I mentioned, when I started this in- 

 dustry I was determined not to give up 

 scientific research, and so long as I had to 

 do with it the part I took in its develop- 

 ment resulted from the union of industry 

 and scientific research. This has been fol- 

 lowed up by others, especially in Germany, 

 and owing to the work of an army of chem- 

 ists, many of them men of great eminence 

 and most of them engaged in the works and 

 their laboratories, this wonderful develop- 

 ment, unequaled in the history of industry, 

 has taken place. This industry has also 

 had a marvelous influence on the develop- 

 ment of science itself. Its wonderful 

 growth has also, as a matter of course, cre- 

 ated not only directly but indirectly an 

 immense amount of employment for men 

 of all classes, especially the working classes, 

 which can not be gauged, and although 

 America has not become a manufacturing 

 center for the production of these dyes, no 

 doubt many thousands of American work- 

 ers are engaged in the applications. That 

 this industry which I was permitted to 

 found should have led to this result is a 

 source of pleasure to me, because the final 



result of our work should be the benefit of 

 mankind. 



You have been so good as to honor me 

 by having this jubilee in remembrance of 

 the part I have taken in connection with 

 this coal tar color industry, and whilst I 

 am thankful that I had to do with its 

 foundation and early development, yet I 

 feel that the part I have taken is indeed 

 small when compared with the labors of 

 the army of scientific men and others, both 

 inside and outside the color works, who 

 have advanced it to its present condition. 

 At the same time it is very gratifying to 

 me to receive all the generous and kindly 

 expression of feeling you are manifesting, 

 and I thank you very heartily. But what 

 have I that I have not received ? It is not, 

 therefore, for me to boast (and I also feel 

 that I have but imperfectly used my op- 

 portunities). I, therefore, can only say 

 in reference to the success which has at- 

 tended my efforts. Not unto me, Lord, 

 not unto me, but unto thy great name be 

 all the praise. 



REFORM IN MATHEMATICAL INSTRUCTION. 

 The principal mathematical reforms 

 recommended by the commission appointed 

 by the Gesellschaft Deutscher Natur- 

 forscher und Aerzte is that more emphasis 

 should be laid on the development of the 

 concepts of function and spaced As the 

 commission realized that such fundamental 

 changes are not likely to be accomplished 

 by a mere publication of the results of its 

 deliberations, it appointed two of its mem- 

 bers—Professor Klein, of Gottingen, and 

 Professor Chun, of Leipzig— to try to in- 

 terest secondary teachers in the subject, 

 and, if possible, to bring them to discuss 

 it very freely. 



^ ' Bericht der Unterrichtskommission der Gesell- 

 schaft Deutscher Naturforscher und Arzte fiber 

 ihre bisherige Tatigkeit,' Leipzig, F. C. Vogel, 

 1905. 



