332 



NATURE 



[September 15, tqio 



no examination qualifying for entrance to the Univer- 

 sity. " Responsions," with its several alternatives, 

 has gradually assumed the virtual position of such an 

 examination ; but there is still, so far as the 

 University is concerned, no obligation to pass any 

 one of these examinations before matriculating. The 

 scheme outlined by Council provides for making either 

 Latin or Greek optional, and allowing as substitutes 

 certain modern languages, together with other sub- 

 jects, such as elementary history, politics, chemistry, 

 and physics. This provision is to apply to the exist- 

 ing Responsions, pending the establishment of a regu- 

 lar entrance examination. 



A subject which has engaged the attention of Coun- 

 cil at considerable length is that of the admission of 

 a poorer class of students. The report is unfavourable 

 to the project of a distinctively working-man's college 

 within the University, but apparently not to the 

 foundation of halls and hostels for students of narrow 

 means, should endowments be forthcoming for such 

 a purpose. 



On the general question of finance, the report advo- 

 cates the constitution of a new finance board, chosen 

 partly from Council and partly from members of 

 Convocation, both resident and non-resident, charged 

 with the duty of advising the University as to its 

 financial policy, and of reviewing the published 

 accounts of University and colleges. The Chest Office 

 would remain as an account office, an estates com- 

 mittee and office of works for the University ; but the 

 delegacy of the Common University Fund would cease 

 to exist, its functions being transferred to the proposed 

 general board of the faculties. 



In dealing with the subject of fellowships, scholar- 

 ships, and exhibitions. Council has been to a great 

 extent limited by the fact that these matters are, under 

 existing conditions, largely the private concern of the 

 various colleges. Many recommendations have, how- 

 ever, been made, several of which there is reason to 

 think are not unacceptable to the majority of the 

 bodies concerned. It is proposed that scholars should 

 have the option of resigning some or all of their 

 emoluments, while keeping the name and status of 

 scholar, the money thus saved going to the exhibition 

 fund of the college, or being direcfly applied for the 

 benefit of necessitous students. Exhibitions, it is 

 thought, should be chiefly or entirely eleemosynary, 

 and freedom should be allowed, under reasonable con- 

 ditions, for scholars to pursue some other subject than 

 that for which thev were elected. The svstem of 

 prize fellowship receives a modified degree of approval, 

 and the bestowal of fellowships on a large scale 

 expressly for research is discouraged. On the whole, 

 the system of these pecuniary aids to learning would 

 remain, even if all the suggestions of Council were 

 adopted, verv much as it is under present conditions. 

 Many will think that the interests of learning and 

 research, as distinct from routine teaching, have here 

 received insuflicient recognition. 



Other matters which have come under consideration 

 are the establishment of a diploma to suit the special 

 requirements of a business career, the length of the 

 academical \ear, the reform of the electoral boards 

 for certain professorships, and the admission of women 

 to degrees. Further steps are promised in all these 

 directions. 



In the foregoing remarks the aim has been to give 

 a general idea of the proposals which have com- 

 mended themselves to the Hebdomadal Council, under 

 the presidency of the energetic Chancellor of the 

 I'niversity. Criticism has for this purpose been 

 avoided, but it is certain that opinions will greatlv 

 differ as to the merits of m.any of the measures ad- 

 vocated in the Chancellor's introduction and Council's 



NO. 2133, VOL. 84] 



report. All, however, we venture to think, will 

 sympathise with Lord Curzon in bespeaking the 

 serious consideration of Congregation and Con- 

 vocation for the result of so much thought and labour. 

 The spirit in which the work of reform has been 

 taken in hand could not be better e.xpressed than in 

 the concluding words of the Chancellor's introduction, 

 words which we here take the liberty of quoting : — 

 " We have made^no attempt to build a new Oxford on 

 the ruins of an old. We have too profound a con- 

 viction of the part that is still capable of being played 

 by the older universities, and, as we think, bv our 

 own in particular, in the life of the nation, to wish 

 in any degree to impair either its essential character 

 or its inspiring influence. We want Oxford to remain 

 what it is, but to become, if it may be, better; still 

 to keep alive the transmitted flame, but to see that 

 it illumines every corner of the temple of knowledge 

 and is accessible to all sections of the community ; 

 above all, since our University is an imperial training 

 ground for character and intellect, to arrange that 

 the scheme of life which produces the former is 

 worthy and sound, and that the scheme of instruction 

 which develops the latter is comprehensive and 

 efficient." F. A. D. 



MEDICAL EDUCATION IN THE UJs'ITED 

 STATES AND CANADA. 

 T^HE Carnegie F'oundation has a dual function, to 

 -'• provide pensions for the profession in the United 

 States and Canada, and "to encourage, uphold, and 

 dignify the cause of higher education." It is in con- 

 nection with the latter that the trustees have under- 

 taken a study of medical education in these countries. 

 The report, prepared by Mr. Abraham Flexner, a 

 trained chemist, is in many respects a remarkable 

 document, the publication of which, we are not sur- 

 prised to hear, has caused a great sensation. There 

 is no country in the world with medical schools at 

 once so good and so bad as the United States. It 

 would be hard to parallel in Europe conditions so 

 favourable to the study of medicine at Harvard or the 

 Johns Hopkins. On the other hand, a very large 

 number of the medical schools are on a purely com- 

 mercial basis, and offer an entirely inadequate educa- 

 tion. 



The report is divided into two parts. The history 

 of medical education in the United States and its 

 present status are set forth ; the story is then told 

 of the gradual development of the commercial medical 

 school (a distinctly American product), of the modern 

 movement for the transfer of medical education to the 

 universities, and of the efforts to improve the standard 

 of preliminary education. The present condition of 

 medical studies is then fully discussed, and a forecast 

 of the possible future is attempted. 



The second part of the report gives in detail a 

 description of the medical schools in each State, and in 

 each province of Canada. Attention may be directed 

 to chapters ii. and iii. of the report, dealing with the 

 proper basis of medical education, and the actual 

 basis, as containing much that is of interest to us in 

 this country. The sections, too, on the laboratory 

 branches and on the hospital and the medical school 

 are very instructive; the first section is, in fact, an ex- 

 ceedingly able presentation of the whole subject of 

 medical education. It is urged that the 15; medical 

 schools at present existing should be reduced to 

 thirty-one by abolition and consolidation. 



The second part of the report is a critical analysis 



1 "Medical Educallon in Ihc United States .ind Canada." A Rep.irt to 

 the Carneaie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Bv Abraham 

 Flexner, with an Inlrodiinion by Henrv S. Prilchttl. (Bulletin Number 

 Four.) Pp. xviii+346. (New V.jrk, 19.0.) 



