The Rationing of the People.

728 commends their study (as we are now doing), must profit all we can by the experience of the believes that the vague and artificial distinction past, and especially from the mistakes of those between pure and applied science does not nations which have attempted a practical and exist as au influential principle in this country. systematic solution of the problem. There are This is excellent hearing for the votaries of already many lessons before us which should medicine, who can show good cause why there not require to be learned again. In any case should be full appreciation of medical progress. we shall be called upon to exercise patience Indeed, medical research, since discovery extended and forbearance, and in this we may be helped by the scope of medicine from that of an art to that of the hope that it will not be long before the situa. Our physiotion is relieved in obvious ways. a science, has bestowed through its practical application benefits upon mankind that can no longer logical authorities have done well to urge not only escape popular recognition. The essays dealing what are the daily requirements of the individual with the subject are written by Professor GOWLAND in regard to the kind and amount of food necessary HOPKINS, Professor G. H. F. NUTTALL, and Dr. G. S. for maintenance, but also to point out the great GRAHAM SMITH, respectively occupying chairs in importance of basing allowances upon the demands biochemistry, biology, and hygiene at Cambridge, placed upon the energies of that individual. Dr. M. S. and they form an admirable exposition of the way PEMBREY, in a paper published in our present issue, in which the highest forms of academic work have refers to this aspect of the question and rightly rapidly found public applications resulting in the says that a system of rations which pays no attensaving already of untold lives. We need not traverse tion to occupation is absurd, for clearly the man with medical readers the well-known country where who does essential muscular work must have a the landmarks are the discoveries of PASTEUR, greater amount of food than the sedentary worker. LISTER, KOCH, LAVERAN, MANSON, ROSS, METCHNIKOFF, Otherwise our national efficiency may well be BEHRING, EHRLICH, GORGAS, WRIGHT, BRUCE, and impaired. The particular food needs of the children others, or narrate the wonderful ingenuity and in the family will call also for special attention;Y bravery by which the Panama Canal zone was freed and, indeed, the whole system of rationing, while from yellow fever; but we congratulate the authors in any case it must mean exercising considerable of the papers dealing with medical research upon economies, must have a logical or physiological drawing a map of that country which for all who are basis or the results may be disastrous. The commonly intelligent furnishes lucid information handing out of rations, in other words, must be upon technical matters of extreme complexity. scientifically fair so far as the situation permits. The last essay, by Captain W. H. R. RIVERS, on Lord DEVONPORT said that it was his endeavour to the value of anthropological knowledge to an take no measures which would benefit the rich at empire which has the charge of many subject races, the expense of the poor. Such preference will be differs from the other contributions in omitting immensely hard to avoid, and can only be avoided by marked examples of success following the applica- limiting each consumer to the number of calories tion of scientific teachings; but the writer has no required to maintain his body heat and perform difficulty in convincing us that official blindness to the work required of him. Any consumption of the lessons of ethnology has not seldom had tragic food in excess of this limit, irrespective of pur! chasing power, must be made impossible for rich consequences for ourselves and our dependents. We desire for this excellent little volumethe and poor alike, if Lord DEVONPORT’s action is to have widest possible circulation; it is a winning brief effect. This can be secured by getting a return for those who have been advocating for years the of the routine of the daily life and domestic situaendowment of pure research in this country. A tion of the individual. All these questions, we are start has been made, as far as medicine is con- sure, are being carefully considered by the Food cerned, with the Medical Research Bureau, but Controller, who has, no doubt, received the counsels the satisfactory beginning must have far larger of the strong advisory body of scientific men placed at his disposal. They are not likely to developments. miss any single point vital to the issue, but if this should happen the error will be immeThe of the People. diately detected, when readiness to modify any THE Royal proclamation issued last week as to instructions will be displayed by those in authothe necessity of husbanding our food supplies no rity, who have always shown themselves ready to doubt brought home to a good many still sceptical take advantage of popular experience. and heedless people the seriousness of the situation, and now we have Lord DEVONPORT’s statement in the DONATIONS AND BEQUESTS.-The late Mr. Joseph House of Lords last Tuesday that preliminary Taylor, of The Bungalow, Great Barr, Staffordshire, has left by will jE20,000 to the Walsall and District steps are being taken to put into force a 10,000 to the Walsall Victoria Nursing Institution,Hospital, .E5000 to scheme of rationing the nation. It will necessarily Queen’s Hospital, Birmingham, and X2000 each to the and Midland Eye Hospital, the Society for the be a vast piece of administrative machinery which Birmingham Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Wolverhampton and will require the utmost care and consideration in Midland Counties Eye Infirmary, and the Midland Counties for Incurables, Leamington.-By will the late Mr. regard to detail and its subsequent application Home James Forrest, of St. Leonards-on-Sea, has left 15000 in to the common affairs of our daily life. We trust, which will ultimately be divided between St. George’s, the Middlesex, and the Westminster hospitals and the 1 Science and the Nation: Essays by Cambridge Graduates. With Victoria Hospital for Children. - The late Mrs. Anne an Introduction by the Right Hon. Lord Moulton, K.C.B., F.R.S. Edited by A. C. Seward, Master of Downing College, Cambridge. Chambers, of Prince’s-gate, W., has left 1000 to the

Rationing

Cambridge University Press. 1917. Pp.

328.

5s. net.

Staffordshire General

Infirmary.