482 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XVI. No. 404. 



certain extent, have a tendency to restrict 

 scientific research in other institutions less 

 amply endowed and having other uses for 

 their money. So far as the national gov- 

 ernment is concerned, there can be no doubt 

 that there would be a strong disposition to 

 refuse or cut down appropriations for sci- 

 entific worli in the various departments if 

 it was believed that the funds of the Car- 

 negie Institution could be made available 

 for such work. 



In my opinion a considerable portion of 

 the income should be used in assisting in- 

 dividuals who have demonstrated their fit- 

 ness for research woi'k in some special 

 field of investigation, who have a definite 

 object in view and well-considered plans 

 for attacking the problem or problems 

 which have engaged their attention. A cer- 

 tain amount of money may also be profit- 

 ably devoted to the publication of scientific 

 memoirs, and especially of those relat- 

 ing to research work done under the aus- 

 pices of, or with the assistance of, the Car- 

 negie Institution; also in assisting useful 

 scientific periodicals which are not self- 

 supporting. I would not encroach iipon the 

 capital of the Carnegie Institution for the 

 erection of buildings or for any other pur- 

 pose, but in my opinion a certain portion 

 of the income .should be devoted to the erec- 

 tion of a building in the city of "Washington 

 which would serve as 'headquarters' for 

 officers and should be known as the 'Car- 

 . negie Institution. ' This building should 

 contain, in addition to the necessary offices, 

 suitable rooms for the meetings of the 

 various national and local scientific societies 

 which meet in the city of Washington, in- 

 cluding committee rooms, etc., also well- 

 equipped laboratories for research work 

 in physics, chemistry and biology. 



In laying out the work and distributing 

 available funds I trust that the executive 

 committee will give due consideration to 

 the claims of that branch of biology which 



relates to the health and well-being of man. 

 No department of scientific research has 

 given more important and brilliant results 

 during the past quarter of a centui-y than 

 that which relates to the cause and preven- 

 tion of infectious diseases, and there is still 

 much work to be done in this field of in- 

 vestigation. Also in other lines of work 

 which may be included under the general 

 head 'hygiene.' In its broadest significa- 

 tion hygiene takes account of climate, soil, 

 food, clothing, dwellings, occupations and 

 social relations as related to the health and 

 longevity of individuals, communities and 

 nations. Here is a broad and fruitful field 

 which has been partly illimiined by the 

 light of science with most beneficent results. 

 But there are still many dark places where 

 truth is hidden from our view or obscured 

 by the acceptance of false conclusions based 

 upon tradition or upon mistaken observa- 

 tion. While pure science may well be piir- 

 sued without any regard for utility, it is 

 nevertheless true that the most valued dis- 

 coveries of scientific investigators are those 

 which have led to practical results of im- 

 portance, and I trust that the officers of 

 the Carnegie Institution will not be dis- 

 posed to look with disfavor upon the line 

 of investigation in which I am especially 

 interested because the facts demonstrated 

 by scientific methods of research have a 

 more or less direct bearing upon the wel- 

 fare of the human race. 



Geo. M. Sternberg. 



In the discussion of the question of the 

 scope of the Carnegie Institution, the chief 

 thing, it seems to me, to be kept in mind, is 

 that the revenues from this foundation 

 should be directed to fields of research not 

 provided for by universities, governments 

 or other endowments. It is not so much 

 'what should be done' as 'what is not do- 

 ins'. ' Lines of research which are not now 



