NEWS
October 25,1940
EDITION Merck Plans Defense Cooperation
Nobel Awards in Chemistry and Physics According to Population Charles D. Snyder, The Johns Hopkins University,Baltimore,Md.
Since there is little hope that Nobel prise awards will ever again be distributed, it may not be amiss to supplement the recent survey by Hale (1) with a study of the data on awards from a population standpoint On this basis it becomes of interest to know the concentration of awards per standard unit of population in countries where awards have been made rather than the total yield per nation. Because Nobel prises are generally esteemed as honors of great distinction, their distribution with respect to population may serve as a barometer to show levels of cultural achievement among various groups of people. In nearly two decades 166 have been bestowed on individuals irrespective of nationality, and the number is therefore sufficient to give weight to such an index. In an earlier essay the present author has discussed "concentration" according to population (2) so this will not be elaborated further here. In revaluating Dr. Hale's data the populations of 11 countries whose nationals have received the 69 prises in physics and/or chemistry will be considered. Physics and chemistry as the more exact sciences will be in one category, physiology and medicine— with 27.5 out of a possible 33 awards—
in a second, and all awards to nationals of the 11 countries will be counted in a third—a total of 146—and used also as a basis for determining the rank of each country. The number of awards per each 10,000,000 population has been determined and appears in the table. The population, as of about 1930, is given for each country as a factor of its total population/107. This figure multiplied by the number under a given category will show the approximate number of prises awarded nationals of the country in question. It will be noted that Germany no longer leads the lists in any category. The United States also falls farther back, and even correcting for her illiterate populations, which forr 1930 is less than 5 per cent (5), will not change her rank. On the other hand, the small nations of northern Europe take the lead as they do for numbers mentioned in The World's Who's Who and for winners of Olympic Games
(1) Hale, Harrison, NEWS EDITION, AM.
CHEM. SOC., 18,665 (August 10,1940). (2) Snyder, Charles D., Sci. Monthly. XLVI, 261 (1938). (3) World's Almanac, New York, N. Y.. p. 564. 1940.
AWARDS PER 10,000,000 POPULATION CHEMISTRY PBTSIOLOOY A L L CLASSES AND AND PHYSIOS RATINO RANK MBDICINK
COUNTRY
x 10-»
Netherlands Switzerland Sweden Germany Denmark Great Britain a n d \ all Ireland Austria France United 8tatcs Italy India
0.78 0.39 0.61 6.46 0.35
5.24 5.14 4.38 3.96 2.86
1.93 2.57 1.64 1.08 8.59
4.89
2.55
0.92
6.43
7
0.67 4.09 12.17 4.15 32.66
2.24 2.20 0.62 0.13 0.03
3.74 0.61 0.33 0.13 0.00
8.2 4.78 1.65 1.084 0.062
4 8 9 10 11
/,/•-
fZJ.BOBGB W. MERCK, president of Merck ^ 6 Co., Inc., Rahway, N. J., in a notice posted in the company's plants, announces a policy for cooperation with the National Defense Program. Although included in the class of essential industries, the company will not seek deferment of military service for employees, except those who cannot readily be replaced. Employees called under the Selective Service Act of 1940 will be given a week's pay if they have been employed continuously by the company for six months, two creeks' pay for one year, and three weeks' pay for two years or more. They will be reemployed after receiving honorable discharge if they are physically and mentally suitable for re-employment and provided the company's circumstances have not so changed as to make such re-employment impossible or unreasonable. Seniority will not be forfeited. The company will pay the employee's as well as its own share of the premium for group insurance up to 14 months while the employee is in active service.
Cellulose Sponge Prices Cut Literature Cited
Table 1. Ratings in Distribution of Nobel Prise Awards on a Unit Population Bash
POPULATION
899
7.7 16.7 17.2 6.2 15.7
5 2 1 6 3
D U C K S of cellulose sponges, manufao** tured by E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Inc., Wilmington, Del., have been cut 10 cents for standard large sponges and 5 cents in the smaller sizes. Mounting production accounts for the price reduction, thefirstsince the sponge was introduced in this country in 1935. Present output is at record figures with continued "expansion of uses indicating a promising future. Recent discovery of a bacterial blight attacking natural sponge beds has given new significance to the man-made product. This underwater epidemic has curtailed the natural sponge supply, it was said, and increased prices.
e*e EXPORTS of essential oils of practically all types have increased substantially during the current year, despite conditions in Europe where some of the United States leading markets are located.
