SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS.— I 4" 



Monday, September 6. 



Joint Discussion with Sections A {q.v.) and I on Surface action in biology 

 (lo.o). 



Tuesday, September 7. 



Physiology as a subject of general education (lo.o). (For full report of this 

 discussion see p. 474-) 



Prof. Winifred Cullis, C.B.E.—Knozvledge of the body's working 

 the basis of healthy living. 



Dr. H. Magee.— T^e importance of physiology education from the 

 cultural and the utilitarian aspects (10.30). 



The subject of this discussion involves consideration of the purpose of 

 education in general, as vi^ell as of the case for physiology as a subject of 

 general education. The aims of education are the development of the 

 intellect and the training of the individual for the material affairs of life. 

 The study of physiology, like other branches of learning, promotes the 

 orderly development of the human mind and goes to satisfy man's inherent 

 desire for knowledge of any kind. The practical end is, however, the most 

 important argument for teaching physiology : ' as the master-key of 

 medicine its practical value is self-evident,' but knowledge of physiology 

 would be of great value to the general pubhc. 



Mothercraft is the most important occupation of womankind, for there 

 is much truth in the saying ' The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.' 

 The child is completely dependent on its parents, and especially on its 

 mother, for its every need, and whether it is to grow up to healthy adult 

 life depends in great measure on the care and knowledge the mother brings 

 to bear on her task. The problems concerned with the nurture of the 

 child belong mainly to applied physiology, and it is, therefore, highly 

 desirable that parents, and especially mothers, should possess some 

 knowledge of the subject. The importance for the health of the present 

 and coming generations of the establishment of habits of healthy living 

 needs no proof ; in laying down the foundation of these, the influence of 

 teachers as well as of parents is dominant. There is abundant eyiderice 

 that the education authorities in this country are fully alive to the desirability 

 of instructing school children in physiology and hygiene. If the population 

 were better informed in these subjects than at present, the elimination of 

 many of the prevailing absurd practices, for example in regard to solar 

 radiation and slimming, might be anticipated with some confidence. The 

 present enthusiasm for physical culture and games is highly commendable, 

 but it must be remembered that the mind and its faculties are of a superior 

 order to the physical body and that character and grit are mental rather 

 than bodily attributes. 



Prof. R. C, Garry.— Human physiology in the teaching of biology 

 (ii.o). 

 It is a sound pedagogic principle to proceed from the known to the un- 

 known. . r •!• 



In the teaching of Biology, however, the known, or at least the familiar, 

 human body is largely ignored. 



