Organisation of Science in Great Britain

Abstract

AT a meeting of the Society of Visiting Scientists on January 23, there was an interesting discussion on the organisation of science in Great Britain, following on papers by Mr. O. F. Brown, of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Mr. J. C. F. Fryer, secretary of the Agricultural Research Council, and Sir Edward Mellanby, secretary of the Medical Research Council. Of the three institutions, the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research appears to be the most centralized, while the Medical Research Council is as nearly independent as a Government department can be ; Prof. M. L. Oliphant, in proposing the vote of thanks, was emphatic that this type of organisation is the right one even for applied research. Sir Edward Mellanby stressed that the Medical Research Council never works to a programme but concentrates on the man, letting him go ahead with his particular research and not dictating its conduct. The Council endeavours to encourage research in the universities and hospitals, and particularly the flow of men back to the universities. Dr. Solandt, however, questioned whether more than one in every four or five men of science is good enough to be left free for independent research along self-chosen lines, and suggested the need for one body to survey the overall scientific needs and man-power requirements of the community, so that no field may be left vacant. Mr. Fryer referred, in his address, to this question of shortage of man-power and equipment, and the problem of maintaining an adequate balance between fundamental and applied research. The integration of one field of scientific work with another constitutes a major problem, and he believes that it is such 'bridging' subjects as soil microbiology, animal husbandry, feeding and pathology that are likely to lead to progress in the future.