384 



SCIENCE. 



1;n. S. Vol. XV. No. 375. 



It is the custom, at all of our best tech- 

 nical schools, to require a thesis for gradu- 

 ation. This thesis should always be based 

 on careful experimental work continued 

 for some months. It should, if possible, 

 contain some real addition to the world's 

 knowledge. The student cannot be ex- 

 pected to select, independently, a suitable 

 topic. Indeed, where the higher degree of 

 Doctor of Philosophy is concei-ned, students 

 rarely select their own subjects. The wish 

 of the students as to the nature of the topic 

 should, however, be consulted. Subjects 

 pertaining to industrial chemistry are es- 

 pecially appropriate, but topics pertaining 

 to the pure science are not to be excluded, 

 and indeed are often to be preferred be- 

 cause of the broader and deeper insight 

 which they give to the student. Every 

 technical school should hold before itself 

 not only the purpose of giving to its stu- 

 dents a sound preparation for industrial 

 pursuits, but it should also contribute con- 

 stantly to the increase of knowledge in 

 those fields with which it has to deal. The 

 reflex influence of such ideals on the in- 

 struction given is of the greatest possible 

 importance. 



The second phase of our question per- 

 tains to the accessory studies which the 

 chemist should have. There seems to be a 

 very prevalent notion that a chemist needs 

 very little mathematics. With the rapid 

 development of physical chemistry and the 

 application of that branch of chemistry to 

 technical problems which is soon to come, 

 if not already here, such a view is no long- 

 er tenable. Every chemist, and indeed 

 every one dealing with physical science, 

 should have, at least, a knowledge of the 

 calculus. In physics, a thorough knowl- 

 edge of fundamental principles should be 

 given and especial attention should be de- 

 voted to the subject of electricity. The 

 methods used by engineers in testing struc- 

 tural materials should be acquired by ac- 



tual use of the instruments employed for 

 the purpose. Free-hand and mechanical 

 drawing are almost necessary and some 

 work in machine design is very desirable. 

 In language, a reading knowledge of Ger- 

 man and French should be acquired and 

 the knowledge should be practically used 

 in connection with current chemical jour- 

 nals. Except for lack of time I should 

 advocate some work in biology. But, while 

 there are fields in industrial chemistry 

 where some knowledge of biology is abso- 

 lutely essential, and while all chemists 

 should know something in a general way 

 about bacteriology, room can scarcely be 

 found for these subjects without displac- 

 ing something of more vital importance. 

 In conclusion, I would say that the acces- 

 sory subjects, especially, should not be 

 slighted by the student. If he becomes a 

 chemist he wiU certainly learn a very great 

 deal about chemistry after he leaves school, 

 but much of this other knowledge he is 

 far less likely to acquire afterwards, and 

 very much of it he will find practically 

 useful if it is at his command. 



William A. Notes. 

 Rose Polytechnic Institute. 



SCIENTIFIC BOOKS. 



Plane and Solid Geometry. By Arthur 

 ScHULTZE, Ph.D., and F. L. Sevenoak, A.M., 

 M.D. The Macmillan Company, New York. 

 The results of geometrical teaching in Eng- 

 land are rather disappointing, if we are to 

 judge by the reports and criticisms that have 

 appeared in educational journals and scien- 

 tific reviews. The blame is laid entirely on 

 the system adopted, which is Euclidean pure 

 and simple, and from which the universities 

 and other examining bodies are unwilling to 

 depart. It is good to be conservative; but 

 it is also easy to overdo it. " Surtout pas 

 trop de zele" was Talleyrand's famous in- 

 junction. It applies as well to conservatism 

 in pedagogics as it does to conservatism in 

 polities. Euclid's text was excellent in his 



