446 ZOOLOGY AND MEDICINE. 



As far back as 1883, the date when I had the honor to commence 

 my teaching at the Faculty of Paris, the course of medical zoology 

 Avas in reality only an elementary course of the Faculty of Sciences. 

 This was by no means wholly bad, as we had to put into shape young 

 people just out of college whose acquaintance with natural history 

 was wholly inadequate; but it was necessary to supplement this ele- 

 mentary course by a detailed study of the parasites of animal origin. 



Convinced of the ever-increasing importance in human pathology 

 of the part played by parasites of this nature, a part evidently mis- 

 understood in many cases; instructed by the discovery of new para- 

 sites — in the extreme Orient, for example; persuaded that colonial 

 expeditions, then again becoming popular in Europe, would certainly 

 be sure to bring to our notice many new facts relating to this subject, 

 I decided to break away from this defective instruction and to devote 

 almost my entire course of teaching to the study of parasitic diseases. 

 The results were immediate; somewhat disconcerted at first by the 

 novelty of this method of teaching, the students soon realized in full 

 its importance. It is not for me to say whether or not its success was 

 comparable to the effort made, but I believe I have a right to state 

 that this innovation, which amounted to the creation of a new branch 

 of instruction, was required by the necessities of the time. I see a 

 proof of this in the fact that all the faculties and schools of France 

 followed my example and were well pleased with it. The same 

 occurred in some other countries, particularly in Roumania, the 

 Argentine Republic, and in Chile, where chairs of medical natural 

 history were established. 



That which I was able to realize in 1883 as associate I was able to 

 complete in 1897 as titular professor. I had the good fortune to 

 assume my chair at the moment when the programme of medical 

 studies had just been modified in a very satisfactory manner. Med- 

 ical natural history, since that is the title of my course, was hence- 

 forth placed in the programme of studies for the third year, which 

 enabled me to discuss more fully the important questions arising 

 from parasitology and to enter into clinical details and minutia? of 

 physiology and pathological anatomy, which would not have been 

 well comprehended by students of the first year. Hence there 

 results a much greater specialization in the teaching, as well as an 

 entirely new adjustment of the practical and laboratory work. The 

 establishment of the AiY.Mves de Parasitologies of which the eleventh 

 volume is finished, is another testimony to the profound reform 

 which I have been able to effect. 



It will be understood that, in a course of this kind, natural history 

 must predominate, and that it can not be completely given by a man 

 whose education is exclusively medical. In fact, helminthology no 

 longer remains in the golden age which I described above. What 



