50 Years Ago

The Liberal conference which took place last week afforded the now familiar sight of the Young Liberals adopting a more radical and militant approach than that of the parent body, and being subsequently chastised for it. But the motion which had the greatest bearing on science and technology, on European unity, was largely their work. This motion commits the Liberal Party to press not only for entry into the EEC but also for a “United States of Europe” with common economic, technological and foreign policies. The Liberals see this as the only effective way to combat the increasing American dominance of European technology and consumer markets … The motion was carried by an overwhelming majority, and this makes the Liberal Party the foremost advocate of joining the Common Market among the political parties.

From Nature 27 September 1969

100 Years Ago

Dr. Victor E. Shelford writes in the Scientific Monthly … on the general question of the waste involved in the discharge of domestic and industrial sewage into the sea and rivers. Experimental methods for testing the effect on fishes of various substances in solution have been devised … The sensibility of fish to such compounds as occur in waste material is thus shown to be greater than has hitherto been supposed, thus an increase in carbon dioxide of 2 c.c. in one litre above the normal content caused the turning-away reaction. A low oxygen content was also detrimental, and this was usually found to accompany a high carbon dioxide content. The waste substances resulting from gas-production works and from munitions processes were also studied, and it was shown that these substances … had very marked effects on fish-life.

From Nature 25 September 1919