xxviii. QUATERCENTENARY STUDIES IN PATHOLOGY 



the efficiency of the instruction capable of being imparted ; and 

 even at the present day the working plant of the Department is 

 anything but what it should be. It would require from ;^3000 

 to ;^4000 to put it on a thoroughly good working basis. 



In addition to funds necessary for the complete equipment 

 of the various laboratories, generous aid is also required 

 in the endowment of research. There is no lack of young 

 graduates who would be willing enough to undertake re- 

 search studies provided we could furnish them with the means 

 of living for a year or two. Our students are usually not over- 

 burdened with independent fortunes, and, consequently, as 

 soon as they have graduated, most of them have to look out 

 for some employment which will yield them the means of 

 subsistence. Many of our most gifted young graduates are 

 thus cut off from the chance of following the higher paths 

 of medical science, and have to betake themselves to some 

 obscure assistantship or other expedient for the purpose of 

 earning a livelihood. 



This seems a great reflection upon the efficiency of our 

 University, and is one which is common to all the Scotch 

 Universities. They have been content in the past with turning 

 out graduates, quite oblivious of the fact that the mere imparting 

 of knowledge to students is by no means the only function 

 of a great centre of learning, indeed, is perhaps not the most 

 important element in the work which should emanate from 

 such. A great part of this teaching might be done quite 

 efficiently by senior assistants or lecturers, leaving the Professor 

 more leisure to conduct research-work himself, and personally 

 supervise that of young graduates similarly engaged. 



No doubt a little assistance in this direction has been 

 obtained from various funds, manifestly from the Carnegie 

 Grant to the Scotch Universities, but, with it all, the number of 

 endowments in connection with these is limited, and the 



