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SCIENCE 



[Vol. LV, No. 1423 



tain -amouiit of utopianism to adopt as a life 

 work seientifie professions which involve so 

 much of sacrifice to person and family. 



In recent years also there seems to be a 

 tendency in educational and scientific institu- 

 tions to break awaj' from the recognized paths 

 blazed by the trained and conservative leader- 

 ship of those who have made the present 

 standing of the basal medical sciences in 

 America. It is admitted that academic ruts 

 may become established which may possibly 

 best be eradicated now and then by drastic 

 innovations. But the question is raised whether 

 the rewards of promotion in rank and of calls 

 to institutions of recognized leadership have 

 not too often been made on the basis of some 

 special demand which for the time being has 

 swayed the control in these institutions. The 

 break in morale is the same in science as would 

 occur in business or military organizations 

 when awards fall too frequently outside the 

 groups of seniority in leadership and scientific 

 attainment. 



The executive committee after confirmation 

 by the constituent societies approved and 

 passed the following resolution with instruction 

 that the same should be published and by other 

 means called to the attention of administrators 

 and others responsible for scientific appoint- 

 ments in American institutions. 



RESOLUTION OF THE FEDERATION OF AMERICAN 

 SOCIETIES FOR EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY 



Adopted December 30, 1921 

 The Federation of American Societies for Ex- 

 perimental Biology, comprising the American 

 Physiological Society, the American Society of 

 Biological CHiemists, Inc., the American Society 

 for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 

 and the American Society for Experimental Path- 

 ology, as the of&cial bodj' representing workers in 

 these various fields, feels that it is its duty to 

 call the attention of the authorities of our univer- 

 sities and endowed foundations, of the medical 

 profession and others, to the grave situation now 

 existing in respect to recruits in these branches 

 of biological and medical science. 



1. A eountrj'-wide investigation, recently pub- 

 lished, has revealed that the number of young 

 men of ability entering on careers in the sciences 

 basal to medicine and surgery is inadequate to 

 fill the available positions. 



2. This condition is due to two factors: 



a. The number of positions in the preclinical 

 sciences in universities and other institutions has 

 increased more rapidl}' than the number of men 

 entering these fields; and 



6. The improvements and increased opportuni- 

 ties for laboratory investigation in clinical sub- 

 jects, together with the greater remuneration in 

 clinical departments, have made such positions 

 relatively more attractive. In response to the 

 urgent demand for men of scientific training to fill 

 clinical posts, many are becoming clinicians who 

 under former conditions would have remained in 

 the preclinical sciences. With the increasing 

 growth of scientific medicine it becomes evident 

 that the only clinical teachers and investigators 

 competent to carry forward modern medicine are 

 those who have had sound training and experience 

 in one or more preclinical sciences and have later 

 acquired clinical skill and judgment. 



3. The great contributions to knowledge and 

 human welfare which the sciences represented in 

 this Federation will make, is to be determined bj' 

 the number of able workers in these sciences. An 

 adequate application of physical sciences to 

 biological and medical problems will come only 

 from the broadest development of physiology, 

 biochemistry, pharmacology and pathology; and 

 the aid of these sciences in the progress of clinical 

 medicine will largely depend upon the ability of 

 these departments in our universities to supply 

 the basic training to those who later enter upon 

 clinical work. They must therefore furnish the 

 recruits both for their own laboratories and for 

 the clinics; failure to do so will prevent the 

 progress now underway. 



The Federation submits these facts to the 

 thoughtful consideration of university authorities, 

 and strongly recommends that immediate efforts 

 be undertaken to improve the status and facilities 

 of the basal medical sciences, so as to increase 

 the number and ability of the recruits drawn to 

 these sciences. 



The cordial invitation of the University of 

 Toronto to hold the next annual meeting of the 

 Federation in the halls of that institution was 

 accepted and it was ordered that the annual 

 meeting for 1922 be called at the Universitj' of 

 Toronto, Toronto, Canada, December 28-30, 

 1922. 



Chas. W. Greene, 

 Secretary of the Executive Committee 



