Veterinary medical science and human health : veterinary activities of agencies of the United States Government in relationship to functions performed by State and local governments, private groups, and intergovernmental organizations / Prepared for the Committee on Government Operations, U.S. Senate and its Subcommittee on Reorganization and International Organizations (pursuant to S. Res. 347, 85th Congress, and S. Res. 42 and 255, 86th Congress).

United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Government Operations

Date:: 1961

Credit: Veterinary medical science and human health : veterinary activities of agencies of the United States Government in relationship to functions performed by State and local governments, private groups, and intergovernmental organizations / Prepared for the Committee on Government Operations, U.S. Senate and its Subcommittee on Reorganization and International Organizations (pursuant to S. Res. 347, 85th Congress, and S. Res. 42 and 255, 86th Congress). Source: Wellcome Collection.

251/272 page 229

Of the two phases, the latter is infinitely more significant. The rea- son is obvious. Science advances on the basis of the proven results of scientific experimentation, as reported in the journals of science. This section accordingly concentrates on the problem of scientific documentation—the storage, indexing, and retrieval of information from scientific papers, monographs, articles, and books. 1. Utilizing prepublication data But before turning to that phase, let us note briefly the matter of information on prepublication research. On August 11, 1960, the subcommittee held a hearing on Coordina- tion of Interagency Activities in Biomedical Research. Representa- tives of nine Federal agencies, including the Department of Agri- culture, testified. One of the main subjects of discussion was the ex- change of information among research administrators and researchers on scientific research still in process or completed, but not written up. The subcommittee felt that this topic was worth serious considera- tion because: 1. Research administrators should be able to make their decision for funding new research, based on at least general knowledge as to related research which is in progress elsewhere. 2. Many individual researchers may be interested in surveying the field of current research in order to be better able to decide whether to UB AOR TEE a support of a given new project and to apply for support of it. Is someone already doing virtually the same work? Or is someone doing related work which could provide useful leads? These are im- portant questions to a researcher before he gets underway. 3. Both researcher administrators and individual researchers can find value in learning whether a project was already undertaken elsewhere, only to yield negative results. It is important, therefore, that there be a reliable information sys- tem which would chronicle the existence of research from its very in- ception. The reason is that much research will never be published at all or even orally discussed. It may be terminated prematurely. It may be completed but end in negative results; or, for a variety of other reasons, it may never reach publication form. Some system should exist, therefore, whereby the pert that research once took place on a given subject can be traced back. USDA systems The Department of Agriculture, through its central project file and its State experimentation file, provides useful information on current research. The Department does not, however, contribute to what has heretofore been known as the Bio-Sciences Information Exchange, and what is now termed as the Science Information Exchange (in that it wil] henceforth include data for the physical sciences, as well). The matter of USDA-Science Information Exchange relationships was therefore discussed at the August 11, 1960, hearing. The Depart- ment of Agriculture representatives present at the hearing and USDA officials, in helpful correspondence subsequent to the hearing, confirmed the Department’s appreciation of the significance of the problem of USDA-SIE cooperation.

Licence and re-use

Contents