812 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XV. No. 386. 



mation was secured sho^¥ing that while a 

 larger number of students seek the degree 

 of Doctor of Philosophy in Europe now 

 than in 1876, the percentage is vastly less. 

 The small institutions reported almost 

 unanimously that their students sought the 

 larger American universities for their final 

 work, at the same time the great home in- 

 stitutions reported that many of the best 

 men still seek instruction abroad after 

 having secured the American degree. The 

 German degree does not possess, compared 

 with the American, the same financial 

 value it held in 1876. 



It was learned, and regretted, that as 

 yet there is little exchange of graduate 

 students for a term or so among American 

 universities. Finances, arrangements of 

 terms, required residence and competition 

 for students are factors that interfere with 

 the accomplishment of this desired end, 

 which will doubtless shortly be solved for 

 chemists in the larger movement afoot. 



A statement of the new fields in which 

 chemistry. has been recognized as a neces- 

 sary factor is mentioned in the report, but 

 it was learned that the appreciation of 

 chemistry and its application has not been 

 uniform throughout the country by any 

 means. It is a fact, easily established, that 

 those sections which have been most pro- 

 gressive or have grown most rapidly 

 utilize most extensively the services of 

 chemists. This is largely, however, an eco- 

 nomic problem, for twenty-five years ago 

 profits were immense and wastes enormous ; 

 now with competition, local and foreign, 

 the value of waste is appreciated and 

 chemistry regiilates the control of that 

 waste. One informant wrote: 'Twenty- 

 five years ago I do not think there was a 

 practical chemist in the whole Northwest; 

 there are now fifty men employed in the 

 Twin Cities.' 



Certain sections of the country, beyond 

 question, need awakening. The teacher 



should, and would, do great service by 

 throwing oiit suggestions as to what and 

 how it is done in other sections than the one 

 in which he lives. Dr. J. Lawrence Smith 

 said: 'We should do our full share in de- 

 veloping industrial chemistry,' and accord- 

 ing to the address of one of our recent 

 presidents: 'The pure and applied are 

 interdependent and retro-stimulating.' 



One of the defects noted by certain 

 manufacturers in sections where chemists 

 are appreciated is that oftentimes gradu- 

 ates have gone to them claiming a skill they 

 did not possess. A student should have 

 better preliminary preparation, more time 

 in college and more inducements for 

 graduate work. Financial aids offered 

 students wishing to specialize in chemistry 

 are more numerous and valuable now than 

 in 1876. This assistance is secured in the 

 form of appointments to fellowships, 

 scholarships, etc., the emoluments, usually, 

 for such services being from free tuition 

 and laboratory fees to $600 per year. 



Educational institutions still find it ad- 

 vantageous to import many chemicals and 

 much apparatus. America produces heavy 

 chemicals as pure and, considering the cost 

 of transportation, etc., as cheap as the 

 foreign maniifacturers, but as yet little at- 

 tempt is made by the American manufac- 

 turer to produce the finer organic prepara- 

 tions. This is due to several important 

 factors, some concerned with legislation as, 

 for instance, untaxed alcohol, tarifi', patent 

 laws, etc. The committee did not attempt 

 to furnish statistics and information in 

 regard to the chemical manufacturer, as 

 one member of the committee (C. E. Mun- 

 roe) is the Expert Special Agent of the 

 Twelfth United States Census in charge of 

 that subject, and is preparing a lengthy re- 

 port which will be published in due time 

 by the government. 



Satisfactory mfichinery for all kinds of 

 manufactures can be secured from domes- 



