June 16, 1911] 



SCIENCE 



917 



undertaken wherever an interesting prob- 

 lem presents itself, without regard to 

 whether there is a demand, for such struc- 

 ture or not. It is built because of the 

 interest of the builder in solving this par- 

 ticular difficulty, and the pleasure he takes 

 in it, knowing also that some time it will 

 be utilized. As a rule he is under no great 

 pressure to get the structure completed. 

 This may represent the method of pure 

 chemistry, and the great advance in scien- 

 tific knowledge of the past was made by 

 boring just such tunnels and building just 

 such bridges. The industries have used 

 these structures when they could, or when 

 some second builder could adapt them to 

 use. Research in applied chemistry dif- 

 fers from that just described only in this — 

 I should say, it needs differ only in this — 

 that when a problem is to be solved, a 

 bridge to be built, the work is undertaken 

 at a point where there is a demand for its 

 use ; where people are waiting to cross over 

 so soon as it is finished. The method of 

 building is no different, the difficulties no 

 less. The fact that the bridge is to be used 

 makes the work of building no less digni- 

 fied, nor is it possessed of less pleasure. 

 In both cases the builder profits by all that 

 has been done before, and contributes his 

 bridge and the new materials of construc- 

 tion he may have found, to those who may 

 come after him. To cite an example from 

 experience, suppose I determine the elec- 

 trical conductivity of metallic oxides at 

 high temperature with great accuracy, and 

 publish the results without reference to 

 any particular application of the data. 

 This is pure science. But suppose I am 

 trying to perfect an electrical heating unit 

 for high temperatures, and in insulating 

 my resister I do tliis identical piece of 

 work, namely, measure with great accuracy 

 the electrical conductivity of metallic ox- 

 ides at high temperature, and again pub- 



lish the results. This is applied science. 

 The work need not differ in the least de- 

 gree. It can be as accurately done and 

 the conclusions as scientifically drawn. 

 The mere fact that the data will be used 

 for some practical end need not make the 

 work any less purely scientific. 



Why then has research in pure chem- 

 istry commanded more respect than re- 

 search in applied chemistry? Why did 

 an eminent writer a few months ago la- 

 ment the fact that there is not more re- 

 search "uncontaminated with the worship 

 of usefulness"? Why does usefulness 

 contaminate? I think it lies in this: the 

 investigator of pure science works in the 

 broad daylight, throws his product open 

 for inspection, and invites all to come and 

 use it when they can. In applied chem- 

 ical research the spirit of alchemy tends to 

 creep in. The builder keeps his materials 

 of construction, and his designs, a secret, 

 and so boards up his bridge that those who 

 cross over it can not see how it was built, 

 nor profit by his experience. The moment 

 a thing becomes useful we become jealous 

 of its possession ; we become narrow in our 

 horizon; we sell our scientific birthright 

 for a mess of potage ; we become alchemists. 



There is a heavy moral obligation on the 

 part of large industrial organizations hav- 

 ing fully equipped research laboratories, to 

 contribute their share to the advance of 

 the world's knowledge. They have well- 

 stocked libraries, and are provided with all 

 the current periodicals; they profit by all 

 the scientific work which has been done 

 and is being done. This is as it should be, 

 and such firms are to be commended for 

 their progressiveness. But is this not a 

 reason why such laboratories should do 

 their part in adding to the sum of available 

 knowledge? There is in every laboratory 

 much work which could be published and 

 yet conserve the interests of the corpora- 



