50 Years Ago

Chromatography in Geology. By Arthur S. Ritchie — This slight text of around 50,000 words sails under false colours. It concludes with the statement that “in theoretical geology, chromatographic processes have become recognized as being of the greatest importance” — but all that is said on this topic amounts to no more than three short pages of obscure observations on gels and colloids ... From the point of view of the academic geochemist, the omission of any reference to the importance of chromatographic techniques in recent American studies on palaeo-biochemistry is equally striking. Perhaps it is understandable that no literature from the U.S.S.R. should be quoted, but to write on the role of gels in mineral genesis without even mentioning Chukrov's Russian-language monograph Colloids in the Earth's Crust seems strangely inadequate.

From Nature 7 November 1964

100 Years Ago

A further paper by Medical Inspector-General Delorme was read before the Paris Academy of Sciences on September 28, on the general subject of the treatment of wounds in war ... The paper begins with a very welcome statement that the health of the French Army is excellent. “The persistent mildness of the weather since the war began, the extreme carefulness of the Government, the watchfulness of the Commands, from the lowest to the highest ... the organisation and the regular methodical active working of the Army Medical Service, the great care given to the food-supply, the sites chosen for the troops — all these, up to now, have resulted in the maintenance of a perfect sanitary condition. The wounded Frenchman is a healthy man.”

From Nature 5 November 1914