The presentation of scientific information

When the organizers of this conference did me the honour to suggest that I should have this lecture on some general aspect of the theme that is engaging our deliberaons, I was somewhat at a loss to know what plan to adopt. Like most of those present I have, in one way and another and at various times, been engaged in the communication of scientific information, but that does not necessarily make it an sy subject to discuss. Not to weary you with my doubts and inward debates, finally decided to attempt a brief historical survey of the subject, for to see how e’s difficulties arose is sometimes a step towards their solution. In any case hope that the considerations that I shall lay before you may prove a mild and ntle, if not soporific, interlude in the strenuous deliberations upon which you are gaged. I wish, then, to consider how the communication of scientific information—more particularly the communication of original scientific discovery, of even the smallest gree of importance and interest—has grown to be the very complex matter that is to-day. The methods of communication that we shall have to consider are, suppose, the spoken word, the book and the scientific periodical, which to-day cludes both the periodical publishing original papers and the periodical publishing stracts of papers. You may be surprised that I have included the spoken word, or, you prefer it, personal communication, but I think that, if you consider, you will me to the conclusion that this personal method still retains its importance. I do ot include radio under this head, because we are, I think, concerned rather with first record of novel scientific results than with the popular exposition of general scientific advances. I would remind you that even in our times when students from over the world flock to such a laboratory as Rutherford’s (I choose a man no nger with us to avoid a selection among the living that might be invidious) it is jot so much to avail themselves of material instruments—the instruments used by utherford could be bought by laboratories in any country—nor to hear a statement what the leader has already achieved, which can be read in the scientific journals, to hear from the leader’s mouth what is going on in his head at the moment, to arn of scientific progress in the making. The writing of a paper comes, in general, fter the results have already been communicated to a small circle in the laboratory ind their friends. The importance of the spoken word has not yet vanished, and it ould do no harm if some of our great men, whose audiences are attracted by their same and retained in their seats by considerations of courtesy, were to remember that he who uses the spoken word should pay some attention to acquiring proficiency the use of the instrument, just as he takes trouble in learning to handle any other instrument of his profession. Occasionally the performance brings to mind the ma who was asked if he could play the violin and replied that he did not know-he ha never tried. The ability to present scientific facts clearly in a lecture is not a gif from heaven; I doubt very much if anybody gives a really good first lecture. A any rate, taking one of the best British lecturers of modern times, one who was particularly good at communicating new scientific advances, Sir William Bragg, is recorded of him that in his early days as professor he was one of the leas impressive lecturers, but by careful application he attained that high eminence i the art for which he was later known.