DISCUSSION ON 



PHYSIOLOGY AS A SUBJECT OF 

 GENERAL EDUCATION. 



(Prof. Winifred Cullis, C.B.E., Dr. H. E. Magee, Prof. R. C. 

 Garry, Dr. L. P. Lockhart.) 



Discussion by Section I (Physiology) on Tuesday, 

 September 7, 1937. 



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

 the basis of healthy living. 



To be really in touch with life as it is lived to-day, it is essential to have 

 some knowledge of the basic facts of science. Our living conditions are 

 governed and conditioned by the application of scientific knowledge. In 

 our homes in their heating, lighting, refrigeration, in our transport, in our 

 indvistries and even in our entertainment (not always to its advantage) 

 mechanisation has become more and more predominant. For many years 

 now as regards certain of the sciences, more particularly physics and 

 chemistry, the need for instruction has been recognised. In this recognition 

 the British Association has played an important part. But the biological 

 sciences did not so early secure a place, except that for some (to me) quite 

 inexplicable reason systematic botany (not the botany of to-day) was 

 regarded as quite ' nice ' and as suitable therefore for girls. At present, 

 thanks to a vigorous campaign carried out by many individuals and organisa- 

 tions, we are in the full tide of the establishment of these sciences in the 

 school curriculum. The fullness of this latter makes very understandable 

 the resistance by authority to the admission of any new subjects. A tin, 

 after all, can only contain a certain number of biscuits, and to put in a fresh 

 sort must needs mean either the turning out or the limitation of some of 

 the sorts already there. So with the hours available for school work. 

 Naturally, every specialist teacher ' knows ' that his own subject is the most 

 valuable from the educational standpoint. We, therefore, who specialise 

 in biological subjects know (and of course we also know how right we are !) 

 how important it is for everyone to have some knowledge of the basic laws 

 and facts as they apply to this business of living. After all to be success- 

 fully alive is the fundamental necessity for everything we do, and the more 

 ' alive ' we are the more successful we are likely to be. 



For living we have at our disposal one of the most complex and marvellous 

 of organisations ; is it not obviously to our advantage to know something 

 of its working when a mistake made through ignorance and easily prevent- 

 able by knowledge can have as its consequence a life-long handicap ? May 

 I remind you of the usual comparison to-day of the human body and a 

 motor car. By the time a human being reaches the age of twenty it is 

 reckoned that in actual cash he has cost his parents and the State at the 

 least something in the neighbourhood of £1,500, and those who pay heavy 

 bills for schooling, clothing and holidays will realise that is indeed a minimum 



