D.—ZOOLOGY. 123 
The association of zoology with physiology, and with botany through 
common problems in genetics and in general physiology, is becoming 
more intimate. The association of zoology with medicine has become 
of such importance, especially in regard to its parasitological and its 
physiological aspects, that clearly collaboration with our medical col- 
leagues in teaching and in research should be as close as possible. 
Zoology in the Medical Curriculum. 
Much has been written and said in recent years about the place of 
zoology in the medical curriculum, and the present seems a favourable 
opportunity to reconsider the position and to ascertain the general 
opinion of the body of zoologists on this important matter. There can, 
I think, be no doubt that the value of zoology taught in its modern 
‘significance is being increasingly appreciated by the majority of our 
medical colleagues. The minority consists of two categories—those 
who have not taken the trouble to inform themselves of the subjects 
nowadays brought to the notice of medical students in the course of 
zoology, and who apparently consider that this is the one subject in the 
curriculum in which there has been no evolution since they were them- 
selves first-year students thirty or forty years ago, and those who feel 
that the increasing pressure in the curriculum calls for curtailment of 
the teaching in what they believe to be the less important subjects. The 
first of these categories need not detain us, for an opinion based on 
obsolete data is valueless. Those in the second category merit serious 
consideration, but I believe even many of these would change their views 
if they knew more fully what is being done in the modern course of 
zoology to give the medical student a broad, scientific outlook. yen 
if the course on zoology were cut out the time would not be wholly 
gained for other work, because many of the subjects now dealt with 
in the course would require consideration in the teaching of anatomy 
and physiology. The attention of the medical student is nowadays 
directed in his course of zoology not so much to the study of details of 
‘types’ as to the principles which certain chosen animals serve to 
illustrate. A reasonable knowledge of structure is obviously requisite 
before the working together of the parts can be understood, and before 
general principles can be profitably discussed. The student at that 
early stage of his education must have concrete examples to enable 
him to grasp the functions of organs, development, ideas as to the 
relationships of animals, heredity, evolution, and so on, and his work 
in the laboratory should give him the opportunity of observing for 
himself the important structural points on which the principles are 
based. The practical work cannot be limited to what the student can 
do for himself, for at this stage of his training there are many things 
which he ought to see but which are beyond his technical powers to 
prepare for himself, so that a good series of demonstration objects is 
necessary, care being taken that the student not only sees the specimens 
but appreciates their significance. © As the time given to zoology is 
limited, the examples for study and the principles to be illustrated are 
to. be carefully chosen, for the course in zoology is not only a discipline 
