636 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



" of chemistry than that they possess at present." Quotations 

 such as these might be multiplied indefinitely ; the very text- 

 books of physiology and therapeutics abound in chemical 

 formulae and the discussion of chemical methods. There is no 

 disagreement on the fundamental point that chemistry is a 

 necessary and integral part of the medical course. 



The real question is therefore one of detail : With what 

 aims is chemistry to be taught to medical students ? How 

 and to what extent is it to be taught ? To whom is its teaching 

 to be entrusted ? It is on some of these points that the writer 

 feels compelled to join issue ; and in doing so he proposes 

 to confine himself mainly to the methods of the University of 

 which Dr. Armstrong and he are recognised teachers. 



On the first of the points indicated surely no two opinions 

 are possible, for all must agree with Prof. Armstrong that teach- 

 ing after the school stage should have a distinct and carefully 

 directed bias towards the lifework of the student — that in the case 

 of the medical student illustrations should wherever practicable 

 be selected from medical and biological sources. There are 

 a few indeed who, proceeding to the other extreme, openly 

 avow their conviction that the teaching of the pure sciences 

 should be limited to such fragments as may happen for the 

 time being to be of direct utility in medical practice. At 

 a recent conference of medical teachers of this University 

 a surgeon expressed the opinion that botany for medical 

 students should be limited to the study of moulds, on the 

 ground that these might be useful as an introduction to 

 bacteriology. He might also have proposed to limit the study 

 of Latin at school to such words as might be useful in writing 

 prescriptions. Such a policy would indeed be retrograde, and 

 if carried into effect could only result in degrading the professional 

 man into a mere mechanic, incapable of independent action, and 

 bound for life to empirical methods learnt unthinkingly. 



Rank empiricism of this kind is very different, however, from 

 an intelligent shaping of the course to the special needs of the 

 student, and would scarcely be worthy of notice, but for the 

 danger that Dr. Armstrong's remarks might be adduced as 

 those of a scientific man in its favour. Our newspapers and 

 magazines have been flooded of late years with protests against 

 the lack of breadth and of scientific method amongst our 

 manufacturers, and their obstinate adherence to antiquated, 



