NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL 
629 
As the year for which the cooperative arrangement was made between the En- 
gineering Foundation and the National Research Council will soon expire, the Re- 
search Council wishes again to record its high appreciation of the liberal financial 
and personal assistance which the Foundation and its members have afforded in 
the organization and support of the work of the Council in this first year of its ex- 
istence. It seems exceedingly desirable to maintain the close relation between 
engineers and research workers which the Research Council has for the first time 
succeeded in establishing. Accordingly the Council wishes to express the hope that 
it may be practicable to continue some effective form of cooperation between the two 
bodies and it would be glad to appoint representatives to consider this matter with 
men designated by the Foundation. 
Mr. Durand submitted a report from the special committee appointed at 
the meeting of the Executive Committee of July 31st to confer with representa- 
tives of the U. S. Patent Office with regard to the possible cooperation of the 
Council in questions of organization and conduct of affairs of this Office. 
After extended discussion relative to the advisability of undertaking such 
work in the present national emergency it was voted, upon motion of Mr. 
Noyes, that the special committee in question be requested to confer with 
the new Commissioner of Patents, when appointed, to emphasize the import- 
ance of the proposed work and to state the willingness of the National Research 
Council to cooperate with the Patent Office in such effective ways as may be 
available; but at the same time to call attention to the large scope of the 
project and the inabih'ty of the National Research Council to cope with the 
financial considerations involved. 
Upon motion it was decided to issue a new descriptive pamphlet relative to 
the work and organization of the Council, the Executive Officer of the Council 
being requested to appoint a special committee to consider and expedite this 
work. 
Mr. Vaughan, as Chairman of the Committee on Medicine and Hygiene, 
presented the following resolution adopted by the Sub-Committee on Psy- 
chiatry of this Committee: 
The nervous diseases grouped under the term 'shell shock' constitute a new and 
very important medical problem of war. They are responsible for fifteen per cent 
of discharges for disability from the British Army. Soldiers with these disorders 
present diflScult problems in diagnosis and treatment and constitute a large propor- 
tion of those who after long continued hospital treatment become pensioners. 
These disorders in troops at the front are seriously prejudicial to discipline, morale 
and military efficiency. In spite of the extraordinary prevalence, very little is 
known about their physiological or psychological basis. The research which has 
been carried on since the war began has been seriously retarded by the stress of war 
conditions and little has been accomplished in any of the European armies. 
As the American Army is certain to suffer no less severely from these disorders 
than the armies of our Allies, it is essential to secure without delay more informa- 
tion than we now possess as to their causes, nature and best methods of treatment. 
With this object in view, it is resolved that the National Research Council be 
requested to permit this Sub-Committee to organize a Commission and to establish 
an experiment station in France for the study of 'shell shock' and to secure funds 
to meet the expenses of the work of this Commission. 
