Evening star., 1919-02-23

Germany had been honestly endeavor-
ing along the lines which Germany,
with cynical shrewdness, was pretend
ing to investigate for the benefit of
all humanity.
II have made no very definite state
ment about where the worlds me.
dicinal synthetic chemistry stands to-
day, yet have made as full state
ment as Is possible, When the Brit
ish blockaded German ports with that
wonderful efficiency which aroused
the astonished admiration of all the
world but Germany. supplies of all
these medicinals advanced in price
tremendously, Gradually manufac-
lures in other countries took up the
task Of filling the demand, and, as
they worked. discovered how imag-
mary Were the claims made for some
of the best known German products,
and, more Importantly, got glimpse
of the great possibilities which lay
before the development of honest re-
search in these lines by men whose
hearts were right
But this effort has led principally
up to date to the discovery of the
taEery of the German claims. 1t has
developed that the German chemists
considered principally not the ettl~
cientY OF drugs action on the hui
man system, but the efficiency which
might be developed in its manufacture
and its sale to the world ignorant
through advertising far more scen-
tine than l. g drugs themselves.
So now we find ourselves con-
tfonted by the question: what shall
we begin to do at the very start of
the great period of readjustment
which confronts the world? Shall we
content ourselves by merely copying
German products. adapting their grim
takery in patents and exploitation?
is there not nobler path Tor uS7to
tread than that which helped to lead
p,a.1ty N,,1 4
disaster? Is there no better ambition
III the hearts of the American scien-
tlst, In the brains OF the American
manufacturers, than simply to make
money? Are we not clean enough of
soul to bring to bear upon these prob
lens of human life itself that higher
form of research which viii reveal
not necessarily the practical and
profitable but the scientific and the
true?'
systematic DEVELOPMENT of the
highest honestest form of research
gradually will tell us why and how
each investigated substance reacts on
the body's cells, AS we gain this
knowledge, which viii be of the ut
most value to the science of cure we
shall gain knowledge also of the exact
character of the changes which occur
when normal healthy cell becomes
abnormal through disease, and that
Will lead us TO prevention.
When once we know the actual
action of every drug we give, and
when once we know this chemistry of
the human body, then. automatically
knowing the exact reaction OF our
chemicals in various conditions. we
shall have tremendously advanced in
medicine. through the efforts not so
much of the physicians as through
those of the chemists
II
"
Then for the first time there will be
established a truly scientific basis for
medical practice; then our manufac-
turers viii know with certainty what
products should be created, not only
with an eye to their own profit. but
with an eye to human good.
Before we have such knowledge
we must scrap our old, very largely
made In Germany Ideas, and estab-
lish new ones made in the United
States, in Britain, in France, in Italy,
by honest scientists.
1T Is my belief that In America we
are equipped to lead the world. Let
us accept this possible leadership and
make 1T real and valuable, We could
give the world no better gift, We
could do ourselves no greater serv-
ice. All that now is needed Is some
man with vision and with money who
win link the two and make the whole
thing possible through an endowment
of the work, and we shall find that
man with vision and with money. In
America we always do. When All ap-
probation of the true situation gets
to the right man he will not hesitate
Think what such an effort well
might lead to One important funda-
mental discovery in medicinal chem
istry each ten years would mean the
dawn of new day for all mankind.
THE whole field of medical chem
istry should be surveyed without de-
lay, and by Americans, think! Human
ity has learned the value of surveys
the immense results which
have been achieved by general studies
of geological, of climatic of industrial
and social conditions. Now let us
make real chemical survey. Itawill
be most valuable of all. ,i, agf
For us not t., know the truth about
the action of every chemical upon the
human body Is for US to &ilfulfy re-
main in reprehensible ignorance Ger
tain human ailments probably can be
reached by none save chemical agents,
In the name of common sense, let us
ascertain the facts concerning such
important matters,
The plan upon which we are work
ing includes the creation of an insti-
tute of drug research Under the aus
pces of the American Chemical So
NN hi ~ In "a tn-