3 o8 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



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a general rule I should like an earlier hour, nine or ten in the morning, 

 which definitely brings a man early in the day to the laboratory, and 

 gives me a better chance of getting a good day's work out of him. 

 These lectures will be designed rather for those who have already some 

 know.ledge of physiology than for beginners ; for so many instruments 

 have not yet arrived, and so many arrangements are necessarily as yet 

 imperfect, that it seems better for the present only to invite men who 

 are more or less fitted by previous training to overcome such occa- 

 sional difficulties and inconveniences as may from time to time arise 

 from such causes. When I say that the lectures will be rather 

 adapted for advanced students than beginners, I do not mean, how- 

 ever, that I shall omit elementary but important facts, but that, in 

 addition to those, I shall from time to time discuss at more or less 

 length points which are still sub judice. The lectures will be illus- 

 trated by no experiments : partly because, on account of the rapid 

 changes which go on in living tissues, physiological-lecture experi- 

 ments are likely to be the reverse of successful (a frog's muscle 

 which has been lying on the table since the commencement of a lecture 

 is very apt to contract abnormally when the lecturer wants it) ; but 

 mainly because I want each student to make the illustrative observa- 

 tions and experiments for himself except in cases of unusual dif- 

 ficulty, when demonstrations will be given at such hours as may be 

 found most convenient to the majority. In the, lectures I shall pre- 

 suppose the possession by each present of such a knowledge of anat- 

 omy as is necessary for physiological work, and, starting with the 

 structure of blood, go regularly on through the histology and physi- 

 ology of the tissues and organs of the animal body. These lectures 

 will continue until the spring vacation, and then I mean to set to work 

 specially for more elementary students, and put them through such a 

 course of general biology as I have already described ; but possibly 

 either Dr. Brooks or myself will give at that time some instruction in 

 embryology of a more advanced character. 



As regards physiological research, several gentlemen have already 

 consulted me with reference to undertaking investigations in different 

 directions, and of course there is plenty of work to be done should 

 others qualified for it present themselves. One difficulty which I 

 have met with is that many seem to consider that a physiological 

 investigation can be carried on by devoting to it an hour or two at 

 irregular intervals : I feel quite sure that no good work is likely to 

 be done in that way, and am not inclined to encourage such workers. 

 Some, at least, of those engaged in investigation will be able to have 

 accommodation in the special rooms, apart from the general labora- 

 tory, which have been provided for that purpose. 



On the zoological and morphological side no arrangements have 

 as yet been made for a lecture and laboratory course this year, nor so 

 far as I know has any such demand as would render it advisable 



