THE REFORM OF THE MEDICAL CURRICULUM 653 



afford neither systematic scientific training nor proper technical 

 training, the memory being merely loaded with a vast mass of 

 uncorrelated facts, some of which, of course, are of interest and 

 value : in the main, however, the time spent in acquiring them 

 is ill spent, as a false direction is given to the mental acti- 

 vities. To give an example — happening recently to mention 

 Cholesterol to a sharp young medical student now following the 

 clinical course, 1 met with the pat reply — " Oh yes, that is the 

 stuff in Lanolin : a monatomic alcohol, crystallising in rhombic 

 plates with a bit snipped out of one corner, which gives 

 a fluorescent red coloration with strong sulphuric acid." 

 "Knowing that," said I, in amusement, "you must feel that 

 there is nothing more to be learnt on the subject and that you 

 are provided for life with information of inestimable value." 

 " With information," said he, " sufficient probably to make the 

 difference between passing or failing in the Second M.B." (at 

 Cambridge). This illustrates, not inaptly, the present-day 

 attitude, the kind of knowledge which it is thought is essential 

 — and which is taught as essential. 



It is worth while to examine Dr. Wade's case somewhat in 

 detail. In discussing my qualifications to act as critic, he 

 implies that I have taken an interest only in elementary school 

 affairs and pictures me as a sort of educational Rip van Winkle, 

 returned to the scene of my early labours with rusted barrel 

 and decayed stock, unable to divest myself of old memories — 

 thinking only of medical education as it was in the days when 

 I took some direct part in it : the days of blackboard demon- 

 stration without practical illustration. I can scarcely think of 

 myself as so entirely decadent. Like that contraption the Tar 

 Baby, I may have worn the appearance of a mere scarecrow in 

 medical eyes. Brer Wade forgets, however, that it is possible to 

 lie low with eyes open ; like Brer Rabbit, to take notice of all 

 kinds o' persons, keeping the old woman at hand watching the 

 kettle on the fire, in readiness when the time comes to pour 

 down the " bilin " water on Brer Wade and his friends, practice 

 having been gained meanwhile by spilling some of it on school- 

 masters' heads. 



Feeling as I always have and still do that a solid foundation 

 is the first requisite, I have done my best to promote the in- 

 troduction into schools of teaching calculated to develop some 

 understanding of scientific method. Some little progress has 



