310 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. L. No. 1291 



Reasons for a doubtful or negative attitude 

 are given as follows: 



P. and S. (Columbia) — "We do not advise it. 

 Only a few can find time to do so." (Letter of 

 Dean Lambert.) 



Maryland — "We feel that the course is too com- 

 prehensive to allow the average student to spend 

 time at anything other than his regular work. ' ' 



The cause of the objections is the lack of 

 time in the course. But the subject of medi- 

 cine is a life study and can not be covered in 

 four years. The value of a medical course 

 must be measured not alone by the number 

 of facts that the student masters during his 

 four years at the medical school, but by the 

 extent of his knowledge at the prime of his in- 

 tellectual life. Therefore it seems strange 

 that any school should not give its students 

 some time in which they could work on their 

 own resources, and, by learning to acquire 

 knowledge without instruction, could become 

 life-long students of medicine. 



A study of the answers to question no. 2 

 reveals several methods by which undergrad- 

 uate research is encouraged by the faculty. 

 Several schols employ more than one method, 

 which makes it difficult to classify them. The 

 schools have been placed under the method 

 on which they lay the most stress. These 

 methods are as follows: 



1. By personal advice and interest of mem- 

 bers of the faculty — California, Colorado, Illi- 

 nois, Harvard, Michigan, "Washington, Vir- 

 ginia. 



2. By allowing undergraduates to assist 

 members of the teaching staff — Texas, Mich- 

 igan, Tulane. 



3. By requiring a thesis for graduation — 

 Leland Stanford, Wisconsin, Tale. 



4. By giving credit towards their degree — 

 Rush. 



5. By offering elective courses in research — 

 Minnesota, Johns Hopkins. 



6. Miscellaneous — • 



Cornellr>-"'We encourage them by placing at 

 their disposal every available facility for the 

 study of approved problems." (From a letter of 

 Dr. J. S. Ferguson, secretary of the faculty.) 



Oregon — "All members of the class are at times 

 assigned subjects to look np in the literature, bib- 



liographies are at times required and these always 

 suggest problems." (Letter of Dr. H. B. Myers, 

 assistant dean.) 



California — "Next year we are permitting two 

 undergraduates to substitute for work in medicine, 

 work in research which will be financed by schol- 

 arships from the university." (Letter of Dean 

 H. C. Mofat.) 



Schools which do not encourage it — George 

 Washington (Washington, D.C.), Maryland, 

 McGill, Mississippi, Physicians and Surgeons 

 (Columbia). 



From the answers to question no. 3 we find : 



Over 50 per cent, of the graduating class 

 has undertaken some research problem at Cor- 

 nell and Yale. 



Between 25 per cent, and 50 per cent, at 

 California, Colorado, Washington. 



Between 10 per cent, and 25 per cent, at 

 Harvard, Leland Stanford, Minnesota, Rush. 



Between 5 per cent, and 10 per cent, at 

 Illinois and Michigan. 



" Some little " at Mississippi, Texas, Vir- 

 ginia and Western Reserve. 



ISTone at George Washington (D.C.), Mary- 

 land, Physicians and Surgeons (Columbia). 



Tulane replies that none of the present class 

 has done any research because of the war. 



We have no exact figures from Johns Hop- 

 kins, but the proportion is known to be high. 



The fourth question is the most important 

 one of the series because it determines whether 

 research is made possible for the imdergrad- 

 uate. In order to work the undergraduates 

 must have available time, sufficient in dur- 

 ation to allow for the completion of experi- 

 ments. This time is provided in two ways: 

 (1) by permitting a student to substitute time 

 spent in research for hours in the regular 

 course, or (2) by reducing the hours of in- 

 struction to such a point that enough free 

 time is available. 



The schools allowing students to substitute 

 time sx)ent on research are — California, Cor- 

 nell, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Minnesota, 

 Oregon, Rush, Tulane, Washington (St. 

 Louis), Wisconsin. 



In 1912 only one school, Tulane, allowed 

 such substitution. 



