Man: the Fire-Using Animal

Abstract

ON March 8 last the Association of Czechoslovak Scientists and Technologists was addressed by Dr. G. W. Himus on "Man: The Fire-Using Animal". Although the lecture started with an account of the origin and the rise of the use of fire by mankind—or as suggested 'fuel squandering'—in the main it surveyed the present state of fuel supplies and prospective fuel technology in Great Britain. Noteworthy is the slowness with which Great Britain became conscious of the importance of efficiency in getting and consuming coal—doubtless owing to the abundance, high quality and cheapness of British coal together with the slender scientific outlook. Without this, waste cannot be recognized, still less corrected. Moreover, in some industries, the cost of fuel is a relatively small item of the cost of production and consequently failed to arouse the attention of the management.