El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-01-19

N1ITHoUT any fanfare of pub
w licity or other ostentation
that would attract the atten-
ton of the general public, there is
being carried to successful elimination
the greatest indeXing work of the ages.
This great index is the International
Catalog of Scientific Literature, start
ing with the beginning of the pres
ent century. Each year there is pub
lished II volumes, in which are cata-
logged every contribution to scientific
knowledge made in every country of
the world. Twelve thousand pages are
required to list these according to au-
thors and subjects.
To have one consolidated index of
all the doings of mankind in the field
OF science, is to possess one of the
most valuable aids to human endeayor.
And that is what the international cat
alog is aimed to be. 1t aims not only
to cite the title and the author of every
scientific book and paper. but briefly
to supply an analytical digest of the
subject matter of each. This is ac-
complished in a most ingenious way
Letters are made to represent heads
and figures subheads, and by these
symbols the user of the index can de-
termine at once what subjects are
treated lin each contribution cited.
Seventeen Hundred Volumes.
This great publication. growing at
rate that will make 100 volumes by
the end OF the present century, is not
in existence as a money making
scheme In fact, there is no provision
whatever for the use of any surplus
that might accrue from it's publication
and sale. 1t is purely a permanent es-
Enlistment of world coopera ton, with
no other aim than to support itself
and become invaluable to the race. 1t
has commanded the active cooperation
of nearly every civilized government,
and is the product of the leading scien-
tific minds of the globe.
The task of its preparation is d.
Vided into three sections. First comes
the gathering of the material This
is done by each nation which sup
, ports the catalog, through what is
known as the regional bureau The
Smithsonian institution has charge OF
the bureau for this country.
Nearly every scientific publication in
the United States is sent TO the Smith
| sonian, and everything that comes
there is indexed. Then recourse is
| had to every index published in this
country. Every stone of literature
that may cover some scientific truth
| Is turned in the patient search for new
matter. Five experts are busily en-
| gagged throughout the year, and they
can scent an article that ought TO be
| indexed as accurately as bloodhound
can scent the hunted criminal When
New Year comes they are ready 10
offer a reward for The articles they
have missed.
The Labor of Nations.
When the index for the United states
is finished. it is sent to London, where
do in a similar
way by other nations. The central bu-
reau there, following prescribed rules,
then proceeds to consolidate all OF the
contributions into one. This is great
labor. and largely accounts for the
delay in the appearance OF the volumes
of the finished index. As there are
| hundreds of thousands of entries to
be classified properly. and great deal
| of careful editing to be done. the Won
der is that the printed volumes are
not even more tardy in their appear
ance Furthermore, some of the re-
gional bureaus are inclined to be slow
| in getting up their indexes. which seri-
ously delays the central bureau in it's
| work.
The third task is the printing To
nufIisff II volumes a year, containing
| u. 900 pages of matter where accuracy
Is the first essential, IS a task worthy
| of the best printer is IS SLOW anu
tedious work. Made up so much OF
! symbols. in which one sign is not a
guide to the one that follows. the
printer and proof reader must be all
| attention.
When the work is published the price
IS SIS per set Unfortunately, the sci
| entists who are ever adding 10 the
worlds wealth seldom accumulate
| much money for themselves, and many
of them find the price prohibitive. The
sponsors Of the catalog have been anx-
| fous to lower the price, but they have
! not succeeded in doing so up 10 this
| time However, they are still hoping
and praying that some philanthroplc
nerson will endow the work, so that
! the catalog may be more widely dis
tributed. and hence of more general
| use.
Working for Ten Years.
The catalog has been running since
1900. The regional bureaus are pro-