526 



SCIENCE. 



[N.S. Vol. XVI. No. 405. 



tor with a specific problem to solve would 

 select more rigidly than any committee of 

 a faculty, where it is understood that the 

 selection really means the giving of an op- 

 portunity to gain a little more education, 

 get a taste of research perhaps, and prolong 

 for a year or two the pleasure of collegiate 

 life. If selected by the investigator for a 

 definite piece of work in the furtherance 

 of the large research, the young man would 

 have opportunity to continue long enough 

 at the work to find out whether or not he 

 could become one of the leaders ; and under 

 the wise conservatism of the older man he 

 would gain a safe but powerful moment- 

 um which could never be lost. 



If, then, it is granted, following the con- 

 ception of the founder, that the first aim 

 of this institution is to foster research, the 

 practical question for the administrators of 

 the trust is to determine in what way this 

 can be most satisfactorily accomplished. 



From my own experience and observa- 

 tion, I think that one of the most impor- 

 tant aids it can render is to make it possi- 

 ble for the scientific journals and proceed- 

 ings of societies in our country, to publish 

 in proper form and with adequate illustra- 

 tions the scientific results which are actu- 

 ally being produced each year. If one 

 compares the beautiful illustrations in for- 

 eign periodicals with most of those in our 

 own, the contrast is certainly painful. 

 How frequently does one see in a scientific 

 journal, or hear through the editor, that 

 illustrations costing over a given — usually 

 very small — sum must be paid for by the 

 author. That is, the author must in the 

 beginning meet most of the cost of his re- 

 search, and then pay for its adequate pub- 

 lication. 



In the second place, as the fund is to 

 supplement existing institutions, the per- 

 sons selected to carry on researches would 

 naturally work at those institutions where 



the main part of the plant needed for the 

 investigation is already available. When 

 the person is once selected for a given re- 

 search, he should be granted absolute lib- 

 erty of procedure, be given abundant time 

 and generous financial aid. 



The specific problem in biology, giving 

 promise of the largest results, it seems to 

 me, is the working out to completion of the 

 entire life cycle of a few forms, rather 

 than the investigation of a detail of struc- 

 ture or of physiology in a great many 

 forms. 



It is believed that the thorough investi- 

 gation of the structure and physiology of 

 a few forms from the ovum to birth, from 

 birth to maturity, and from maturity to old 

 age and death, would most rapidly advance 

 biologic knowledge, and furnish the basis 

 for truly safe and great generalizations. 

 As such research should form part of a 

 solid and enduring structure, it would be 

 of great advantage if the investigator 

 would preserve a complete series— embry- 

 ologic, histologic and anatomic— of the 

 form whose life cycle was the subject of 

 the research. This series should be depos- 

 ited in some institution— naturally the one 

 where the work was done— and be open for 

 inspection by competent observers. Such 

 a series would serve not only as a voucher 

 for the validity of the published results, 

 but also to correct errors of interpretation 

 made evident by increased knowledge ; and 

 finally it would serve as a basis for further 

 researches. 



To briefly summarize: It seems to the 

 writer that (1) The Carnegie Institution 

 is not needed for educational purposes. 



(2) Its true place is expressed in the 

 first aim given by the founder— 'to pro- 

 mote original research.' 



(3) It can most effectively promote re- 

 search by utilizing as far as possible the 

 facilities of existing institutions. 



