New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-12-13
THE PURPOSE OF TIE NOBEL PRIZES.

The recent bestowaI for the eighth time of the
nrizes for which the inventor Of dynamite pro
vi5ed in his will naturally invites fresh
consideration of that munifcent endowment
NoheTs aim was to recognize handsomely such
an exercise Of the finest human faculties ana
instincts as might be expected TO conduce most
largely TO the welfare of humanity. Though his
own pursuits were scientific, he did not unit
his pecuniarv encoura cement TO science. He
was able TO perceive the grace which literature
adds 10 life. and also 70 realize the benefits
which would result from putting On end 70
war One OF his prizes, therefore, is awarded
for literary excellence, another for the advance
ment Of the cause Of peace, and three Tor
scientific achievement
One Of the most remarkable features OF the
foundation, however, is that il ignores the pro
fassiop in which Nobel was himself trained
like Ericsson. Nobel was q mechanical en-
eipeer: ar least early in life. It might have
heen supposed that he would have had a lively
snnrcciatjon Of the service rendered TO man
kind by devotees of that branch Of science IN
the past: for instance in developing improved
means of transportation and appliances for the
operations of manufacture. He could not have
imagined that that chapter of history had
closed For a man with his particular expert
ence TO show d preference for other departments
Of study must be regarded as more or less
strange
Perhaps the science of physics IS the most alb
strIse and least practical Of the three for con-
+1ibu+tons 10 which Nobel prizes are awarded
Among the researches which have thus Tar been
bonored are inquiries into the nature and size Of
the atom. the characteristics Of radium and the
phenomena Of radio-activity. OF these the only
one which has yet had any useful application Is
R0ntgen's accidental discovery Of X rays.
Something may eventually come from Lpp-
manns work in color photography, honored this
year with the physics prize, but it has hardly
been Of service to industry. Nobels principal
work, the invention Of explosives. primarily for
blasting but incidentally for military use, was
essentially chemical in character. Hence it is
easy to understand his wish to promote pursuits
Of q similar kind. In the eight awards for
chemistry up to the present time, however, one
can detect only two which have been won by
achievements OF present practical value. By
perfecting the electric furnace Moissan gave
10 his professional brethren q new implement
and Fischers Investigation Of uric acid may
help to elucidate some Of the problems OF
PHYSIOLOGY. Van { Hoff, Arrhenius and Won
Beyer have, instead, contributed to the theory
of chemistry. So has Rutherford the prize
winner this year. and Ramsay, who discovered
q lot of new elements for which the world has
not yet found any use.
> IF comparatively little Of this work appeals
strongly to popular appreciation such Is not
true Of the service 70 medicine rendered bv the
recipients of the medical prizes Koch. BehrIng
Ross, Laveran, Finsen, Pavlof, Metchnikoff
and Erich have either hunted for the causes Of
disease or an effective method of fighting if
To lessen appreciably the varied suffering
which comes from sickness and death is
labor that does more than Justify admiration
It inspires universal gratitude