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SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLII. No. 1092 



capacity, just so surely can we obtain the 

 best results in education only by such elas- 

 ticity in our methods as makes possible the 

 adjustment of the educational procedure to 

 each student's capacity, peculiarities and 

 needs. 



And finally, I would speak for a much 

 wider adoption and extension of the method 

 of research in medical education. The daily 

 practise of medicine, for which we are pre- 

 paring most of our pupils, is research of 

 the highest order and the most difficult type. 

 We train the neuro-museular apparatus 

 and the special senses to efficiency in any 

 particular direction, by their constant exer- 

 cise in that activity or direction. How can 

 we better train the mental facilities for 

 research at the bedside than by their exer- 

 cise in research, in laboratory and clinic? 

 No one would deny that a certain body of 

 fundamental facts and principles must be 

 memorized by every medical student, and 

 facility in certain technical procedures 

 ought to be acquired, but if we hope to 

 arouse in the student a real enthusiasm for 

 his work, and to develop his power of inde- 

 pendent initiative and accomplishment in 

 the setting and the solving of problems, it 

 can be done only — certainly most effectively 

 — by setting him to the task of solving 

 problems within his capacity, involving lac- 

 tors within his control, his work being car- 

 ried on under intelligent, wise supervision. 

 The problems of pathology are peculiarly 

 well adapted for this purpose. They may 

 be so selected as to have to do with mate- 

 rials and factors within the scope of his 

 ability and training, and they are of inter- 

 est to him because he can readily see their 

 bearing on clinical medicine, for which he 

 feels he is fitting himself. If he is to have 

 zeal in their pursuit, however, it must not 

 be the threshing over of old straw, but new 

 problems whose solution he feels may con- 

 stitute a real contribution, however small. 



to medical science. If he can then present 

 the results of his efforts to a dignified, ear- 

 nest group of his elders, such as assemble at 

 the meetings of this society, it means for 

 him a generation of enthusiasm, a develop- 

 ment of real power, such as no other educa- 

 tional method can produce. 



This society has great reason to be proud 

 of the subsequent work of many men and 

 women who found here their first oppor- 

 tunity and their best inspiration. It is cer- 

 tain to have increasing cause for gratifica- 

 tion, as the years go on, in the results of 

 this phase of its activities. 



John Milton Dodson 



PLANT MOEPHOLOGYi- 

 I PROPOSE to deal with some aspects of 

 the study of plant morphology. In doing 

 so I shall not accept any definition of 

 morphology that would separate it arti- 

 ficially from other departments of botany. 

 I regard the aim of plant morphology as 

 the study and scientific explanation of the 

 form, structure, and development of 

 plants. This abandons any sharp separa- 

 tion of morphology and physiology, and 

 claims for morphology a wider scope than 

 has been customary for the past fifty years. 

 During this period the problem of mor- 

 phology has been recognized as being "a 

 purely historical one," "perfectly distinct 

 from any of the questions with which phys- 

 iology has to do," its aim being "to re- 

 construct the evolutionary tree." The 

 limitation of the purpose of morphological 

 study, expressed in these phrases from the 

 admirable addresses delivered to this sec- 

 tion by Dr. Scott and Professor Bower 

 some twenty years ago, was due to the in- 



1 Prom the address of the president of the Sec- 

 tion of Botany, Manchester meeting of the Brit- 

 ish Association for the Advancement of Science. 



