Dec., 1918
T H E J O U R N A L OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D ENGINEERING C H E M I S T R Y
971
I t is perhaps right t h a t i t should be so. True, those Second, t h e existence of facilities a n d equipment for pure scientific research in t h e field of medical chemistry. of us who are chemists are inclined t o think t h a t t h e Third, t h e existence of trained specialists for t h e chemical mode of reasoning will some day acquire required work, and finally, t h e existence of ample a n d ascendency in t h e medical mind, b u t this is a dream generous material support of t h e work and of t h e of t h e future. For t h e present, i n t h e majority of workers. medical schools, with few exceptions, t h e teachers T h e chemical industry has come t o s t a y in this and students think i n terms of cellular pathology or country, hence one of t h e conditions is already met. electropotentials. This mode of thinking is scarcely T h e question of capital is not t h e domain in which conducive t o t h e development a n d stimulation of t h e biochemist is a t home I shall dwell principally chemical visions. There are other arguments ag3inst o n t h e plan of organization which will aim t o satisfy cooperation with t h e colleges, b u t time does not permit t o analyze t h e m all. t h e t w o remaining conditions. Every one intimately familiar with t h e development Against t h e cooperation with t h e government bureaus of medicinal remedies realizes t h e fact t h a t there are I have no argument of principle. I feel, however, very few, if a n y , individual workers who possess all t h a t t h e existing Bureau of Chemistry is already so t h e technical skill and t h e theoretical information overtaxed with a multiplicity of functions t h a t i t can required for t h e development of a n y one remedy. scarcely be expected t o do justice t o all. Besides, As a rule, drugs are poisons. Both their toxic and i t is a difficult a n d unpromising task t o educate a therapeutic properties may be altered b y t h e mode of government t o a more generous and liberal treatmen$ administration or b y chemical modifications. T h e of t h e scientist. rules which govern t h e toxicity or therapeutic properROCKERELLER INSTITUTE POR MEDICAL RESEARCH NEWY O R K CITY ties of drugs are not constant, hence before a n y remedy is offered t o t h e profession, all its toxicological, physiological, therapeutic, as well as chemical properties, DRUG RESEARCH AND THE BUREAU OF CHEMISTRY have t o be established. For t h e efficiency a n d exAbstract of Address by C. I,. ALSBERG pediency of t h e work it is most desirable t h a t all t h e Dr. C. L. Alsberg, chief of t h e Bureau of Chemistry, work should be done i n close cooperation with a group of specialists, preferably housed i n t h e same insti- United States Department of Agriculture, spoke extemporaneously of his deep interest i n t h e subject tution. I therefore suggest t h e organization of a n institute of t h e evening, as for many years he has been parof chemotherapy in t h e broader sense of t h e term. ticularly interested in t h e development of t h e synthetic The aim of t h e institute should be on one h a n d t o pro- pharmaceutical industry in t h e United States. I n mote this branch of science, on t h e other t o offer t h e his own Bureau work along related lines has been underfacilities t o industrial institutions t o solve specific taken, for t h e benefit of agriculture, i n t h e production of insecticides and fungicides. T h e work of t h e problems which t h e y may encounter. T o meet this double function t h e institute is t o Bureau’s color laboratory was described a n d t h e consist first, of a permanent staff of investigators hope expressed t h a t with this work well established engaged in free, independent, a n d undisturbed re- its next development would be in t h e closely related search; a n d second, of groups of workers employed field of synthetic medicinals. Dr. Alsberg agreed with previous speakers t h a t part b y their individual industries for special investigations. T h e aim of t h e first group will be principally of t h e work contemplated in t h e subject of t h e evening could not be carried on under government auspices, t o advance theoretical knowledge, which ultimately as he felt t h a t t h e federal laboratories could not be utilmay establish t h e correlation between chemical strucized for t h e s t u d y of specific problems for t h e benefit of t u r e a n d biological action, and furthermore, t o train individual manufacturers. He was confident, however, younger investigators. T h e second group shall consist of temporary units t h a t t h e work of his Bureau would dovetail into t h e employed b y t h e industrial institutions, b u t working work of t h e proposed institute, and expressed his best under supervision or control of members of t h e per- wishes for t h e success of t h e movement which had manent staff. These temporary units may t h e n serve within it many possibilities of lasting blessings. BUREAUOF CHEMISTRY as a nucleus for development of laboratories housed WASHINGTON, D. C. in t h e respective industrial institutions. This plan is offered as one of three possible alternatives, t h e other t w o being t h e cooperation of t h e AN INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH IN SYNTHETIC existing industrial laboratories with either t h e medical ORGANIC CHEMISTRY college or with t h e government laboratories. By A. S. LOEVENHART I n m y work a t t h e American University ExperiI n order t o appreciate m y objection t o t h e medical school. i t is necessary t o recall t h e history of modern ment Station I have seen how satisfactory and effective medicine. Uedicine of to-day became a science with research work in close cooperation between chemists t h e development of t h e microscope and galvanometer. and pharmacologists may be. T h e object toward Cellular pathology, electrophysiology, and bacteriol- which we are working there is t h e development of ogy are t h e foundations of recent medicine. These materials destructive of life, b u t t h e thought naturally subjects dominate t h e horizon of t h e medical school. presents itself t h a t if this cooperative work is so effective
