THE SCHOOLS OF GERMANY. 311 



edge these evils, and to seek for their removal, and I doubt not that 

 the governments will respectfully listen to our demands for reform. 



I pledge myself to have the strictest regard for the truth in the 

 task I have undertaken, even though it may be unpleasant to some, 

 and to bind myself to facts ; and, in proving the questions we have to 

 consider, to do it according to the strictest methods of science, and 

 to keep in mind only the attainable and practical parts of the ques- 

 tion. 



"With reference to the history of the Munich school, we shall 

 most speedily atain our end if we consider those causes which have, 

 at different times, interfered with the production of good veterina- 

 rians. Then I will show that even in our day evil conditions still 

 exist, the complete removal of which is beyond the power of the 

 best teachers, notwithstanding all diligence and perseverance. The 

 proposals for improvement will then receive their consideration. 



The school at Munich has passed through two epochs since its 

 foundation. The first extends from its establishment in 1790 to the 

 year 1852, and the second from that date to the end of the school 

 year 1872. 



Nothing satisfactory can be said about the condition and results 

 at our school during the first epoch. Empiricism obtained a greatly 

 extended duration in Bavaria, while at the other veterinary schools 

 (German) it extended only to the second decennium of our century. 

 Many of the learned gentlemen present studied at our school during 

 this period and must confirm my judgment, that our institute had 

 until then never filled the place of a scientific veterinary school as 

 portrayed by Cothenius. Nothing but schooled " routiniers " were 

 produced, nor did they dare to produce anything else. They hid 

 themselves under a deceptive cloud, by boasting of their abhorrence 

 of speculative theories and of their great respect for practical things, 

 which by no means should be neglected, but by this means they nour- 

 ished an imbecile empiricism and sought to keep distant from all true 

 science. It was made exceedingly difficult for young men of better 

 preparatory education to gain entrance to the school ; in fact, they ap- 

 pear to have been intentionally avoided, so that any external incite- 

 ment to scientific work became impossible. The experimental 

 method suggested by Cothenius as absolutely necessary to the 

 schools had no place in the programme. The great reforms in 

 medicine in general, and every natural science, were passed heed- 

 lessly by, by the Munich school of that period. Instruction in natu- 

 ral sciences, the foundation of the study of medicine, was so neg- 

 lected that one feels almost ashamed to mention it. The few stu- 



