THE REFORM OF THE MEDICAL 

 CURRICULUM (II) 



By professor HENRY E. ARMSTRONG 



Another act in the drama of medical education was recently 

 played to a finish when the Senate of the University of London, 

 at its November meeting, decided that it was unable to evolve a 

 constructive scheme which would render possible the use of the 

 great gift offered for the establishment of a school of preliminary 

 medical studies at South Kensington. Like the truth, jealousy 

 has prevailed : London seems to be ever at the mercy of con- 

 tending factions — a natural result, perhaps, as she altogether 

 lacks leadership. 



I am constrained therefore to continue the article on the 

 reform of the medical curriculum which I contributed a little 

 more than a year ago to this journal and which, meanwhile, has 

 met with a rejoinder from Dr. Wade (No. 4, April 1907). 



Dr. Wade and I are obviously looking at things from 

 different points of view : his being that we are living under 

 almost ideal conditions, which cannot well be changed and 

 which need not be changed ; mine that we are in a time of 

 makeshift : that it is our duty to take stock of the situation, to 

 mend our ways without delay. Thinking that all is for the 

 best in the best of possible worlds, he would pursue a laissez- 

 faire policy. My desire is to see a new point of view introduced 

 into the subject : it seems to me that it is useless to attempt to 

 teach chemistry to medical students except as the study of 

 function — the study of processes. Unless they can more or 

 less understand the nature of the chemical processes which occur 

 normally and under pathological conditions, as well as in some 

 measure appreciate the alterations likely to be effected by 

 changes in the conditions, they cannot possibly penetrate behind 

 the veil which Nature at present draws in front of them. 



I believe medical opinion will be with me ; that many will agree 

 with me that the preliminary studies, as at present conducted, 



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