The Maison de la Chimie in Paris

Abstract

THE opening of the Maison de la Chimie on October 20 in Paris marks the completion of the first step towards a comprehensive scheme of centralisation of chemical bibliography and other scientific activities. The Maison de la Chimie had its origin in the cele bration of the centenary of Marcelin Berthelot in 1927, when a sum of twenty-five million francs was collected by international subscription. The French Government presented a historic building the house of La Rochefoucauld d'Estissac, rue St. Dominique, near the Chamber of Deputies. This has been recon structed and extended to house a library equipped with the latest facilities. Large halls for meetings of scientific societies and congresses have also been provided. Indeed, this is a special feature of the project, and the opening of the building by M. Lebrun, President of the Republic, is to be followed by the holding therein of the fourteenth Congress of Industrial Chemistry (October 21-27). M. Jean Gerard, administrator of the Maison de la Chimie and Secretary of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, hopes to develop the present centre into a “Maison de la Science” where inter national congresses in all scientific fields can meet and be assured of the services of a staff accustomed to the organisation of congresses. All those who have attended international gatherings know that the standard of efficiency with which they are run varies considerably, and that a little more attention paid to the purely technical part of their organisation would often add considerably to their scientific value. We may therefore wish M. Gerard all the success that his plans deserve.