JXJLT 24, 1914] 



SCIENCE 



127 



I went to San rranciseo and made an inspection 

 of the library, hospital and laboratories of the 

 medical school. 



The Lane library is one of the best medical li- 

 braries in the country. It is supplied with prac- 

 tically aU the best medical journals so arranged as 

 to be most available to members of the faculty and 

 students. Its location in regard to the hospital 

 and laboratories is quite ideal. It is worth much 

 to both the clinical and the research man to have at 

 his hand the best contributions of the world. 

 When a problem comes up for solution the first 

 thing to learn is to ascertain what has already been 

 done along this line. A medical school without a 

 library is like a boat without a pilot and much 

 time is likely to be lost in drifting. The medical 

 department of Stanford is fortunate in the possess- 

 ing of its library. 



While the present hospital building is somewhat 

 out of date it is, so far as I can see, admirably 

 managed both in caring for the sick and in the 

 instruction of students. The out-patient depart- 

 ment, systematized as it is, is both a great, broad 

 and needful charity and at the same time a source 

 of varied and comprehensive instruction to stu- 

 dents. The addition soon to be made to the hos- 

 pital will modernize the institution. It will bring 

 more pay patients to the institution and thus fur- 

 nish the funds with which the less fortunate can 

 be cared for. I was greatly pleased with the man- 

 agement of the hospital. The laboratories in the 

 hospital are ably conducted and fairly well 

 equipped. Some of them will probably have en- 

 larged and improved quarters when the addition is 

 made to the hospital. 



As I understand the total cost of the medical 

 department is now about one hundred thousand 

 dollars per year. This cost wiU slowly increase. 

 Notwithstanding this fact I strongly urge that the 

 medical school be not only continued but be de- 

 veloped. In its development the quality of its 

 work should be constantly held in mind. The niun- 

 ber of medical students should be kept small. 

 Quality and not quantity should be the aim. I be- 

 lieve that in the near future the medical depart- 

 ment will be a source of strength to the university 

 in many ways. First, in the importance of the re- 

 search done and the benefits that such research 

 will confer on the race. Within the past thirty 

 years the average human life has been increased 

 nearly fifteen years and the whole of life has been 

 made more comfortable. This is a work to which 

 &. great university should contribute. The open- 



ing of the Panama Canal will bring to the Pacific 

 coast many health problems which can be best 

 solved in such a school of instruction and research 

 as I believe Stanford will develop. Second, I am 

 firm in the belief that the medical school will at- 

 tract large donations, both for research and the 

 clinical work. Philanthropists will see that the 

 best service they can render lies in the direction of 

 improved health conditions. Third, medicine is 

 now attracting to its ranks many of the best of 

 our young men and this will be a source of 

 strength to the university. 



Lastly, I come to the matter on account of 

 which I was called to visit you. The time- may 

 come when it may be wise to consolidate the two 

 university medical schools of San Francisco, but I 

 do not believe that this would be wise at present. 

 Stanford, from what I can learn, can afford to de- 

 velop its medical school without material hindrance 

 in the growth of other branches and I believe that 

 this is the wise thing to do. 



I am aware of the fact that a hasty visit, such 

 as I have made, may give erroneous impressions 

 and I would not have you attach any great im- 

 portance to this report, but I have tried to look at 

 matters from a broad viewpoint and to hold con- 

 stantly in mind the good of Stanford University 

 as a whole. I have considered it unnecessary to go 

 into financial or other details with which you are 

 much more familiar than I am. 



In conclusion I wish to thank you, . . . and Dr. 

 Wilbur and other members of your faculty for the 

 many courtesies shown me and to express the hope 

 that the growth of Stanford University during the 

 past quarter of a century, phenomenal as it has 

 been, may be surpassed in its future developments. 



With great respect, I am 



Tours most respectfully, 



V. 0. Vaughan 



NEWTON SOBACE WINCBELL 

 The tribute I can render to the late Pro- 

 fessor Winchell must be sueli as would quite 

 spontaneously come from any one who had 

 watched, with appreciation and sympathy, the 

 progress of geological science in America dur- 

 ing the past generation. I can not speak of 

 Professor Winchell from a close personal inti- 

 macy, but I may, as one of many who highly 

 regarded his very unusual achievements in one 

 science and his broad, effective interest in sev- 



