JANUARY 11, 1901.] 
instruction are very apparent to my mind. 
It has none of the virtues of first-hand 
knowledge. Human physiology as taught 
in our schools is good enough in its way, but 
it gives no real information of the nature 
and properties of living matter. Outside 
the fact that the instruction is usually au- 
thoritative and based upon book-work, it 
fails to develop an acquaintance with fun- 
damental conceptions of the nature of the 
living processes, and these must be compre- 
hended in some measure if one wishes to 
look at the living side of nature from the 
proper standpoint. It may very well hap- 
pen that an individual has a fair idea of his 
internal topography, and yet believes firmly 
in mad-stones as a cure for hydrophobia, or 
the occult influence of horse-chestnuts in 
the coat pocket upon rheumatic conditions, 
or in some similar superstition that has 
come down from the age of witchcraft and 
sorcery. These last illustrations are per- 
haps extreme and not generally applicable 
to the college graduate, but if it were de- 
sirable it would be easy to give quite specific 
instances of fads and theories just as unscien- 
tific and irrational which do find lodgment 
among the educated classes. 
As an antidote to this unworthy credulity 
I can imagine no more certain remedy than 
a course in biology, including some labora- 
tory exercises. Not a great deal is required 
if the instruction is real and first hand. 
Any one who has examined into the minute 
structure of living forms and gained some 
conception of the nature of vital processes 
is effectively armed against the grosser 
fallacies that at present find some accept- 
ance among even the educated classes. I 
do not mean to say that training of this 
kind is indispensable for an appreciation of 
the nature of biological conceptions, but 
only that by its means the whole sub- 
ject is illumined and given a reality that 
otherwise could scarcely be hoped for. 
One sees the difference fully illustrated by 
SCLENCE. 
53 
the attitude of the general public toward 
modern ideas of germ diseases and bacteria 
in general. How many absurdities and 
false notions are entertained by educated 
people regarding these latter forms of life ! 
The point that I wish to make is that in 
this day and generation the man or woman 
who goes out from college entirely unin- 
formed on the biological side is ignorant of a 
very important phase of the world’s history, 
is out of adjustment with his times, and 
is deprived of a most helpful means of con- 
trolling rationally his own health and that 
of others committed to his care. If this 
kind of knowledge is desirable at all as 
part of the armamentarium of an educated 
man, it is hopeless to seek for it elsewhere 
than in the college period. Much of the 
education necessary to put us into intelli- 
gent adjustment with modern life can be 
obtained in the secondary schools, but lab- 
oratory courses in biology can scarcely 
find a place so early in the scheme of in- 
struction ; they require some degree of ma- 
turity and previous training on the part of 
students, to say nothing of the paraphernalia 
requisite for actual instruction. Our college 
courses are crowded as it is, and perhaps it 
is not possible to include biology as a com- 
pulsory subject in the polymathic curricu- 
lum that is forced upon the student at 
present, but the opportunity at least should 
be freely offered. And indeed it is offered 
in a way in all good colleges. I only 
wonder that its general value is not more 
widely appreciated. Instead of being re- 
stricted practically to those expecting to 
enter the medical profession or looking for- 
ward to careers as specialists, it should be 
utilized by all who hope to keep abreast of 
the intellectual life of their times. 
From a pedagogical standpoint biology is 
one of the most attractive subjects offered 
in the college programs. Outside any ques- 
tion of training value there are few if 
any subjects that lend themselves more 
