In the centre of this survey about the medical research of France today we pi ace the "Institut National d'Hygiene", i. e. its organization, its insti- tutes, its tasks and achievements in the service of medical research and public health. A good organization accomodates itself to modern demands, especially, a) as far as equipment is concerned, the arrangements of the laboratories answering the purpose of scientific research and placed in hospitals where observations about the siek are only possible; and b) as far as the medical staff is concerned, the guarantee of an independent and stable career, which is indispensable for the progress of a research work. There are already many research unions formed by a certain num- ber of researchers and experts who combine their efforts in an efficient collaboration. During the past years the Institut National d'Hygiene has been mainly en- gaged in establishing anational laboratory of medical research, of which there are three departments already acting. Another important responsibility OE the Institut National d'Hygiene consists in making statistic enquiries that provide reliable foundations for the solution of sanitary and hygienic prob- lems concerning the whole of the population of the country.