1
IN T TîODU C TI Oil.
The importance of keeping in close touch with as many investigators as
possible in the field of metabolism in Europe as well as in America cannot
be too greatly emphasised. A certain number of individuals can become fa¬
miliar with the work of the nutrition Laboratory through personal inspection
and the conduct of researches therein, and a larger number can read the re¬
ports. There still remains, however, a large number of individuals who
cannot obtain an adequate idea of the work of the Nutrition Laboratory, or,
indeed, of the opportunities offered there for work, without personal asso¬
ciation with some member of the laboratory staff. This is particularly
true of foreign investigators.
The periodic tours in Europe which have been made by members of the Labo¬
ratory staff serve a number of well-defined purposes. First, they enable
the representative of the Nutrition Laboratory to find out all that is new
in the equipment and design of foreign laboratories and apparatus. This
point was especially emphasized during my tour in 1907. Innummerable points
in connection with the construction and equipment of foreign laboratories and
apparatus we re found invaluable in the final arrangement of the Nutrition
Laboratory.
Second, while a scientific investigator may write a description of his
apparatus in the most beautiful language, he will, without fail, inadvertently
overlook certain important minor details, which, though they may not affect the
principle or the apparatus, nevertheless play a very important rôle in tne
successful conduct of experiments with it. Hence, a personal inspection ana
an examination of the methoa3 used by its originator are often of very great
value.