The Dyestuff Industry

Abstract

WHILST in general agreement with the admirable article on “The Dyestuffs Industry and its Lessons”, in NATURE of April 27, I cannot endorse your acceptance of Mr. C. J. T. Cronshaw's argument that “the industry languished because the pioneer spirit and the creative instinct which brought it into being abandoned it too early”. I hold that the breakdown was entirely on the side represented by Mr. Cronshaw—the managerial and commercial side. Often in the distant past have I discussed the problem from this point of view with Griess, Caro, Dewar, Witt, Meldola, Martius and others. The commercial community is not likely to recognise this, simply because the scientific spirit is foreign to its nature.