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1891.] Editorial. H 
EDITORIAL. 
EDITORS, E. D. COPE AND J. S. KINGSLEY. 
-NDOWMENTS for the support of original scientific research 
are becoming more frequent in this country. Mr. Thomas 
Hodgkin, of Long Island, has presented the Smithsonian Institu- 
tion the sum of $200,000, a part of which is to be devoted to 
investigations on the characteristics of the earth’s atmosphere. 
He “ reserves the right” to add $100,000 to the original amount. 
The new Rockefeller University of Chicago is to have a large 
endowment from Mr. Rockefeller for original research. A bequest 
was made by the late William B. Ogden, of New York, for the 
purpose of endowing a school of scientific research. The sum, 
which is between three and five hundred thousand dollars, has 
been offered by the executors to the same Chicago University, and 
has been accepted by them. The Philadelphia Academy of 
Natural Sciences has been the recipient of several bequests within 
a few years whose aggregate is considerable. 
These accessions of strength for scientific research are gratify- 
ing, and the manner in which the moneys are expended will be 
watched with solicitude. The administrators of money are fre- 
quently not acquainted with the actual needs of practical research, 
and their first impulse usually is to erect expensive buildings. 
The amount of money thus expended frequently cripples the 
working power of the institution. An undue proportion is some- 
times spenton media of publication, of which already many exist in 
_ this and other countries. The real need of original research is the 
endowment of tenable positions for men. This proposition is self- 
evident, but it has been, nevertheless, too much neglected. But 
should this liberal course be adopted by such institutions, the 
question of the appointments to be made at once presents itself. 
Boards of trustees, being rarely occupied with scientific research, 
are not generally well informed as to the merits of investigators. 
Itis sometimes difficult to obtain unbiased information even from 
investigators themselves, who are frequently more or less influ- 



