On the scientific investigation of disease in animals and man / by a Fellow of the Royal Society and of the Royal College of Physicians.

  • Beale, Lionel S. (Lionel Smith), 1828-1906.
Date:
1865
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the scientific investigation of disease in animals and man / by a Fellow of the Royal Society and of the Royal College of Physicians. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

    17/18 (page 15)
    say £5,000 iii grants, of from £50 to'£200 to different indivi- duals—and I think that if tliis sum, or as much of it as might be apphed for, were voted aunually, very satisfactory results would be apparent in the course of a few years. Many objections may possibly be made to this plan, and objections may be larged against that already in force, but I think that a carefcd perusal of the reports of the British Association for the Advancement of Science will satisfy any one that the system of grants upon the whole has worked well, and especially in the case of the Kew Observatory, which has been the largest recipient for many years past. In the foregoing pages I have been advocating the imme- diate prosecution of certain lines of investigation, which will to a cei-taiaty be followed out, whether or not they be encou- raged by the State, by societies, or by wealthy individuals. Some, no doubt, will agree with me in thinking that the private energy and enterprise of individual scientific workers might be advantageously supplemented, assisted, and sup- ported ; while others may think it right to leave them alone, ■untn the results obtained are so very decided and so valuable as to command pubUc attention. There is nothing more certain than that very much more concerning the nature of disease will be discovered than seems possible at this present time. The only question for the pubhc to deteiTnine is whether such scientific iavestigations shall be urged on at a rate com- mensurate with the enormous power of means and work at disposal in this country, or left entirely to the very few who can pmrsue them unaided. The investigation may be en- couraged by our Government, or we may permit the less wealthy Governments of the smaller Contiaental States to employ the scientific labour of which we shall certainly, as well as they, receive the fruits.