152 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XL. No. 1022 



field also — the organization of a whole 

 science. It is true that many kinds of in- 

 ternational scientific organizations wiU 

 have preceded the International Institute 

 of Chemistry. I need only mention the In- 

 ternational Bureau of "Weights and Meas- 

 ures in Sevres. But the work of inde- 

 pendently organizing a whole science so 

 that its mechanical functions will be com- 

 pletely taken away from the general public, 

 may be called entirely new, and to those 

 who perceive the necessity and practicabil- 

 ity of such an organization and do their 

 part toward its realization, will remain 

 the incontestable honor of having done 

 pioneer service in one of the most impor- 

 tant departments of civilization of all hu- 

 manity. 



LOCATION OP THE INSTITUTE 



We turn now to the question of the prac- 

 tical organization of such an institute. 



It must be emphasized in the beginning 

 that we are considering not a traveling, 

 but a large permanent institute with nu- 

 merous buildings, collections, laboratories, 

 etc. The first question to be decided is that 

 of the location. At first glance it seems a 

 matter of indifference where it be placed, 

 provided only certain general conditions 

 be fulfilled. The institute must not be too 

 far removed from some center of inter- 

 eotirse, that the necessary communication 

 with the general public may be carried on 

 without loss of time. We should agree that 

 the institute must be located in Europe, be- 

 cause the greatest spacial density of chem- 

 ical activity is in Europe, and the inter- 

 course between the individual chemists and 

 the institute could be carried on with the 

 least possible loss of time. To be sure we 

 recognize that a second center of gravity 

 of chemic science and technology is to be 

 found on the other side of the Atlantic 

 Ocean in North America, and that the for- 



mation of a sister institution in America 

 is essential. Such a sister institution 

 would be specially advantageous because 

 the work in common would be divided be- 

 tween the two institutes, and together they 

 could cover the literature of the past in 

 half the time. Meanwhile, for the reasons 

 already given, it is Europe's duty and also 

 her right to undertake the founding of the 

 first institute, and to do the pioneer work in 

 the execution of this plan. As regards the 

 more exact situation of the institute, I 

 have considered the neighborhood of Brus- 

 sels, in the hope that Ernest Solvay would 

 place his great talents as an organizer at 

 the service of the institute. Since this hope 

 can no longer be realized, the question of 

 the location of the institute for the present 

 is relegated to the background. The de- 

 cision will depend largely upon where and 

 how the funds for the institute are ob- 

 tained. 



DUTIES AND ARRANGEMENT OF THE INSTITUTE 



On a suitable piece of ground of at least 

 five hektares, in the vicinity of a great 

 city, the buildings of The International 

 Institute of Chemistry will be erected. 

 Each department will be housed in a sepa- 

 rate building, specially arranged and fitted 

 out, but these buildings are to be so con- 

 nected that the assistants can go from one 

 to another without loss of time, and danger 

 from exposure. So I planned to have the 

 main building long and wide, built through 

 the length of the grounds. Prom this, on 

 either side, at suitable distances, will open 

 the wings in which the departments of the 

 institute are to be housed. The easy mode 

 of communication between the wing build- 

 ings furnished by this corridor will be of 

 primary importance in the operation of the 

 institute. 



I have considered the following depart- 

 ments, each of which will be housed in a 

 separate wing. 



