THE REFORM OF THE MEDICAL CURRICULUM 673 



As to the teachers — Dr. Wade contends that chemistry must 

 be in the hands of chemists. I agree. But the chemists must 

 be physiologists. The chemistry to be taught will not be mere 

 dry-bones chemistry — anatomical chemistry — but functional 

 chemistry, physiological chemistry in the true sense of the term. 

 Few among our present race of chemists are physiologists even 

 in their own domain ; they are mostly mere anatomists. It will 

 be necessary to educate a new type of teacher for the purposes 

 of the medical schools — one who is in full sympathy with 

 medical aims, able to appreciate the character of the problems 

 with which he is faced — a physiological chemist, in fact; it will 

 be necessary, on the other hand, to have physiology taught by 

 chemical physiologists, men -who have the same appreciation 

 of chemistry that chemists will have of physiology. The one 

 will have a mastery of the technique of chemistry, the other of 

 the technique of physiology — both sympathising with each 

 other's aims and objects more than either does at present. 



As to the state of knowledge of students entering the 

 medical schools, I am quite at one with Dr. Wade that for 

 some time to come it will be necessary to deal with the 

 scientific subjects almost ab initio. But I am not inclined to 

 adopt his laissez-faire policy as the policy of the future. I hold 

 that it is the duty of the Universities to take the schools in 

 hand without delay and force a sound policy on them. Of 

 what use are Universities if they cannot control the course of 

 higher education — if they do not act as advisers of the public — 

 if they do not promote the spread of new knowledge ? The 

 medical schools are now practically all under the control of 

 the Universities. Nothing would be easier than for the Univer- 

 sities to say that after a certain date no one should enter a 

 medical school who could not give evidence of having received 

 sound training previously, during at least three years, in 

 English and the elements of scientific method as applied both 

 to the physical sciences and to biology. Assume that at first 

 many were rejected — parents would be so angry that they 

 would bring pressure to bear on the schools to reform their 

 ways. Some action is needed at the moment which will 

 bring the schools into line with the times — we may be sure 

 that the majority will not change their ways except under 

 compulsion. 



