G. If. F. Nuttall 
111 
University and to his own experience of the ravages of disease in Africa, of 
its certainly having been high time that such an Institute, “worthy of Cam¬ 
bridge,” should be erected and given a local habitation and a name. “Cam¬ 
bridge afforded ideal conditions for the establishment of a research institute 
of that description, because of its many-sided scientific activities and its 
constant stream of young and talented men who passed through the Uni¬ 
versity.” He emphasized the value of parasitological research and of such an 
institute for the Empire: “ What is very greatly required is a centre where men 
can be trained in the scientific methods of research which bear so greatly on 
the health of men, animals and plants, by receiving a broad, thorough training, 
for at present there is very little opportunity, except for a very few men, of 
obtaining such training. The training is often too slight and too diffuse, the 
student picking up scraps here and there in professional schools, whether 
medical, veterinary or agricultural. The student therefore acquires no real 
foundation upon which to base his future research work.” 
“ Unfortunately, in consequence of lack of training in these respects, unripe 
and poorly trained men went into practice who were not really fit to investigate 
a scientific problem. As Professor Nuttall had said: ‘They travel with blinkers 
on their eyes along the old well-worn professional road and too often never 
leave it.’ Thus it may come about that insufficiently trained men are fre¬ 
quently given posts or are sent on research expeditions, where they are 
expected to do scientific w 7 ork, but where, not from want of zeal, but from lack 
of knowledge, they naturally fail. 
“It would be a very great thing if the new Institute were placed in a position 
of being able to hold selected men to their research work until they were fit 
to go out as investigators and teachers. This meant, of course, considerable 
funds and endowments in order to keep men at work and free from financial 
worry for a period of years. Travelling scholarships conferred upon suitable 
men by their universities or Governments in different parts of the Empire 
would be of the utmost value to their country and mankind. If funds were 
available, subsidiary aid could be furnished by the Institute itself. The latter,” 
concluded Earl Buxton, “was certain to attract men from all parts of the 
Empire, and scholarships or the like w r ould be a great additional attraction. 
Thus a group of young and enthusiastic wmrkers would gather round the 
Institute as a centre.” His Lordship then declared the Institute open. 
Professor Caullery, speaking in English, as the representative from France, 
referred to parasitology as nearly constituting a special science in the domain 
of biology since it bore upon an immense number of different organisms and 
afforded striking evidence bearing upon evolution, besides being an essential 
! factor in the study of disease. He w'as glad to find one of the best of his former 
pupils, Dr Keilin, established at the Institute. He and his colleagues offered 
their congratulations and thanks to Mr and Mrs Molteno for what they, had 
done for science and hoped that the Institute would help to bring French and 
British men of science into closer affiliation. 
