OTHER SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTIONS
The Chemical Laboratory, founded in 1906, gives instruction in
analytical (applied) chemistry to the medical students during their first
year at the university. It also undertakes chemical analysis for those
who desire it. In connexion with the medical college there is, more-
over, a Bacteriological and Pathological-Anatomical Laboratory.
The Réntgen Institute which was founded in 1914; is furnished
with an up-to-date equipment. In connexion with this institute a
Radium -Fund has been established by private munificence, and Radium
bought for part of its means.
The Meteorological Institute in Reykjavik was established in 1920.
Up to that time the Danish Meteorological Institute had had climato-
logical stations in Iceland. The Meteorological Institute in Reykjavik
gathers information on the weather conditions in various parts of Ice-
land and from a number of foreign stations. Weather reports are then
wired to all the principal telegraph offices in the country where they
may be obtained as well as the weather forecasts (for 24 hours) which
are broadcast (in Icelandic, English and German) two or three times
daily by the Reykjavik Radio. The Institute also issues a monthly re-
port on the weather conditions in Iceland together with various other
facts devendent thereon.
INSTITUTIONS AND SOCIETIES FOR THE
PROMOTION OF SCIENCE AND CULTURE
Séttmélasjédur (The Union Fund) was established in 1918 (cp.
p. 39). It has for its chief aims: to bring about and encourage scien-
tific research work; to support the publication of learned works and
text-books for the university; to grant pecuniary aid to laboratories,
the museums and the university library; to give prizes to those Icelan-
ders who produce scientific works deemed worthy of that distinction;
to grant travellina bursaries to professors and graduates from the uni-
versity fo enable them to go abroad for scientific research work and
further study.
Menningarsjédur (The Promotion of Culture Fund) was created
under an act passed in 1928 for the promotion of science and gen-
eral culture in the land. The means of the fund are: the fines paid
for the infringement of the prohibition law, the proceeds of the sale
of illegally imported alcohol and the moneys realized by the sale of
ships confiscated for illicit trade in spirituous liquors. Its income is
