THE REFORM OF THE MEDICAL CURRICULUM 555 



and in order that it may be appreciated at its true value as 

 the first cousin of water and a typical " alkaloid-ol." 



Some of my scientific brethren will perhaps be aghast 

 when I say that I would have the study of carbon compounds 

 pursued mainly from the complex downwards — from the 

 obvious to the unknown— that I would begin with the processes 

 of digestion and fermentation and gradually develop a full 

 understanding of the nature of every factor concerned in them. 



Methods of preparing this, that and the other substance, 

 all elaborate descriptions of physical properties, I would leave 

 in the chemical cookery books — to be looked up when required. 

 Function should be the main subject of study. The endeavour 

 should be made to arrive at as clear an understanding as 

 possible of vital processes — both of their nature and of the 

 substances taking part in them. 



The medical man is called upon to deal with the living 

 human body'and must gain the clearest insight into its workings : 

 in the main, it is a chemical heat engine ; and to acquire efficient 

 control of its parts, such as the engineer has over the engine 

 he attends, the medical man must be able to visualise the 

 condition of each part and the processes which are operative 

 throughout the body. It is to such ends that we must 

 endeavour to teach chemistry — futile talk about the preparation 

 of substances such as we now indulge in and mere constitutional 

 formulae must be abandoned and discipline substituted which 

 will give rise to a feeling of true understanding and of sympathy 

 with the subject-matter of study. It is possible, I fully believe, 

 to engender such a state, if we will but give ourselves up to 

 the work — provided always that students can be prepared at 

 school to co-operate with their teachers at college. If the spirit 

 of inquiry be developed in them and they can be induced to 

 undertake the study of processes in a really serious manner, 

 a true understanding of function — the indefinable sense termed 

 feeling — will be gradually acquired. 



It is difficult to say more : such things cannot well be 

 expressed in words ; the state can only be really known to 

 those who enjoy it. 



To summarise my conclusions : I am firmly of opinion that 

 the medical curriculum, at least in so far as my own subject is 

 concerned (if I be not mistaken in most others also), is in most 



