Evening star., 1949-12-04
1" HE literature of science
becomes more and more
one of extreme specializa-

becomes more and more
one of extreme specialiZa-
ton.
All the sciences are in pc
riod of fact gathering, largely
in fields of the infinitesimal and
invisible. Literally hundreds of
papers presented at society meet
ings are, for example, on meas
urements of the fields of energy
of atomic nuclei, the half lives
and the types of radiation of ra-
dioactive isotopes, the amino acid
composition of different types of
body cells Such work is sub
ject only for highly specialized
literature.
The day of synthesis and inter-
probation from which major dis
coveries and classics in the lit
erature of science will come lies
ahead This tends to be some
what disappointing to the general
reader who for the two decades
before the war became adjusted
in his interests to rapid and SEN
sational syntheses of the pick-and-
shovel research work of the early
century. This essentially was ex-
hausted by the war developments.
It seems fair to say now that
ultimate utilization of atomic
energy. for example. waits upon
several more years of patient
measurement of cross sections of
nuclei and testing of materials.
There will grow up seemingly
impenetrable forest of data. Sim
Iarly, the future of medicine seems
to lie in the direction of weari-
some description and classifica-
ton of amino acid completes,
ensyme reactions and the like.
which. per Sc. are essentially de-
void Of glamor. .-...
From X-Rays
To Atomic Fission
About as excellent an effort as
is practical in way-station syn
thesis is the 1949 edition of
"Science in Progress" issued by
the Yale University Press. The
path from Roentgen's discovery
of x-rays in 1895 to the atomic
fission of 1899 and the atomic
bomb of 1945 is admirably traced
by the author of one Of the true
classics of science-the now much
and ignorantly debated Smyth
report-Dr. H. D. Smyth Of
Princeton. If one would appre-
ciate the extreme complexity and
difficulty of the path that lies
ahead, the best procedure will be
to read the report on elementary
particle physics by one Of the
few Americans who made any
actual scientific contribution to
the bomb. DR.. John A. Wheeler
of the same university.
The long delay in the utiliza-
ton of atomic energy, after the
sensational success Of the atomic
bomb, appears to have mystified
many. The plain fact is that the
difficulties in the way are almost
insuperable at present and one
need not be a congenital pessi-
mist to doubt that success WILL
come in the time Of many now
living. Substantial progress Is
being made. however. in utiliza-
ton Of the various radioactive
isotopes produced by pile bonn
bardment and the practical con-
tributions to living already have
been OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES In
the field of medicine. All this Is
admirably epitomized by q group
of experts in "Harpers' Constru-
tive Use of Atomic Energy"
edited by s. @. Rothmann.
For five years the American
people, by and large, seem to have
been under the unfortunate de-
lusion that in the atomic bomb
they had. weapon which de-
pended on some sort Of secret
possessed by their scientists alone
which made the country invul-
nerable. There was q lot OF
shocked surprise q few weeks ago
when it was announced that the
Russians had cracked" the Sc
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