Febeuaby 24, 1911] 



SCIENCE 



281 



result. It is the presence of these difficul- 

 ties that prompted the opening of this 

 subject, which can not be closed until after 

 the results of many trials and careful dis- 

 cussions are recorded. On my shelf are 

 numerous text-books and laboratory man- 

 uals for teaching this science. If they are 

 carefully analyzed, they will give a variety 

 of impressions as to the purpose of the 

 course prescribed. Here then is found the 

 logical reason for the discussion of the 

 fundamental principle in its teaching. 

 The crux of the question is : Shall bacteri- 

 ology be taught as a science in our pro- 

 fessional schools or shall simply the essen- 

 tial facts to be applied be imparted? 



Some years ago I accepted a position 

 carrying with it the responsibility of 

 teaching bacteriology in a professional 

 course. I went from a research laboratory 

 where I had grown up with the technique 

 and knowledge of a certain phase of the 

 subject. I labored under the delusion that 

 the essential elements could be easily 

 taught. There was no difficulty in secur- 

 ing the interest of the students, but the 

 pangs of disappointment were mine when 

 these same interested men attempted to 

 apply the knowledge I supposed they pos- 

 sessed, in the actual practise of their pro- 

 fession. Their errors were not more 

 grievous than those of other men, but the 

 things they did and the kind of assistance 

 they sought pointed clearly to a lack of 

 knowledge or understanding of the subject 

 which I believed I had taught with great 

 clearness. This combined experience has 

 caused me to question the efficiency of 

 many pedagogical methods employed in 

 teaching bacteriology, and to test as best I 

 could different methods of instruction. 

 The conclusion that seems to me inevitable 

 is that the course in bacteriology must be 

 dominated by a scientific system of pre- 

 sentation and that the technique, facts and 



laws of bacteriology must be clearly de- 

 veloped before too much stress can be 

 placed upon the value of fragmentary 

 facts such as staining tubercle bacilli, or 

 the examination of water for the colon ba- 

 cillus. The difficulty does not rest alone 

 in a lack of the knowledge of technique in 

 making the examinations, but quite as much 

 in the inability to interpret the findings. 

 Conclusions drawn from isolated facts by 

 partially informed individuals are respon- 

 sible for many of the charges of error 

 against our laboratories. There is, there- 

 fore, no way to more effectively promote 

 this science than to have its conclusions 

 based on accurate and verified data. 



I have considered the difficulties encoun- 

 tered by way of lack of time granted to 

 bacteriology in curriculums, the eagerness 

 of many inexperienced men to assume 

 charge of bacteriological work and the 

 pittance of salaries often paid for this 

 service. These are recognized hindrances, 

 but they are far more easily overcome than 

 the results of hurried application, snap 

 diagnosis, indifference and commercialism 

 that dominate this work wherever the 

 spirit of science and regard for scientific 

 verification are not enthroned. If the 

 public is to be benefited, as it should be, 

 by the existence of this science, it is im- 

 portant that those responsible for the train- 

 ing of men to occupy positions in public 

 laboratories take fully into account the 

 nature of their teaching. Wherever the 

 true scientific spirit dominates the final 

 results prove to be more helpful. It is not 

 my purpose, nor do I believe it possible, 

 to outline a schedule to be followed by all. 

 It is, however, within our power to give to 

 bacteriology the dignity commensurate 

 with its vital relations to our environment 

 and to teach it as a science and not as an 

 aggregation of biological facts. 



I can not leave this subject without 



