554 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



marvellous educational success entirely without adventitious 

 aids such as the University of London Matriculation, the 

 College of Preceptors, the Oxford and Cambridge Joint Board 

 and the University Local examinations afford us. 



When Huxley's three central institutions are established in 

 London, we may hope that two of them will be attached to 

 hospitals : the technical flavour to be developed by mere 

 propinquity with the Clinic is considerable ; and it is of the 

 essence of success, in my opinion, that a technical flavour 

 be given to the training from the outset. I know full well, 

 however, that opinions will differ widely on this point — 

 experiment alone can decide. It is an unfortunate circumstance 

 that teachers of chemistry in the medical schools have generally 

 lacked the physiological instinct ; their work has had no 

 physiological trend. Hinc illce ladirymce, in part, at all events ; 

 hence also the difficulty of instituting the necessary reforms. 



To bring about reform in teaching the subjects of pro- 

 fessional scientific study, some one must set to work to rough 

 out with considerable detail the elements of each course — no 

 light task, I am sure. If appointed dictator in chemistry, I 

 should at once meet the demand of the medical faculty by fusing 

 inorganic with organic chemistry — there is no valid distinction 

 to be drawn between the two branches ; moreover, the study 

 of the former is rendered infinitely more difficult than it need 

 be by the neglect to introduce, at an early stage, considerations 

 derived from the latter — especially in discussing questions of 

 structure. In teaching medical students, it will be desirable, 

 I believe, to introduce organic chemistry very early in the 

 course : at all events, for their purpose, the inorganic side may 

 be compressed into a very moderate compass and yet be made 

 to comprehend far more useful matter than is at present 

 included. Thus, not a single instant need be wasted in 

 studying methods of preparing oxygen and similar trivialities — 

 there is more than sufficient oxygen in the air and in water 

 to satisfy human demands ; but the chemical properties of 

 oxygen, especially in water — the most wonderful, active and 

 useful of all oxygen compounds — will deserve most careful 

 consideration. At present, water is just neglected : it is too 

 common a substance to consider. Alcohol will also be worth 

 much attention — if only to defend it from undeserved strictures 



