OCTOBEE 17, 1913] 



SCIENCE 



559 



combined " course in pathology, bacteriology 

 and hygiene." In seven cases in which infor- 

 mation was given by which the total time of 

 the course in pathology could be calculated, it 

 appears that the total time devoted to pathol- 

 ogy varies from 126 hours (12) to 316 hours 

 (.47), with an average time of 249 hours. It 

 is certain, however, that in the course in 

 pathology in some medical schools only the 

 more general conditions are dealt with, and 

 that lectures on the pathology of nervous dis- 

 eases are given in conjunction with those on 

 the clinical aspects. Because of the latter 

 condition, in some of the replies it was stated 

 that it was impossible to give accurate figures, 

 or even to estimate the amount or proportion, 

 of the time devoted to the pathology of the 

 nervous system. From Table II., however, it 

 will be noted that 22 answers were received 

 giving the amounts of time, average 30 hours; 

 and 18 giving the proportions of time, average 

 12.3 per cent. The variations from these 

 figures are as extensive as in anatomy and 

 physiology. The smallest amount of time re- 

 ported to us was 5 hours (SO), the greatest, 

 60-f- hours (15). The smallest percentage 

 was 2 (i2), and the greatest, 25 (27). The 

 seven schools which reported sufficiently full 

 information for accurate calculation of total 

 and proportionate times gave averages of 33 

 hours and 13.5 per cent. 



Total Time Devoted to the Oeneral Study 

 of the Nervous System. — By adding together 

 the average amounts of time in anatomy, 

 physiology and pathology, we find that ap- 

 proximately 224 hours are devoted to the gen- 

 eral study of the nervous system. In most 

 institutions, this is part of the first two years' 

 -work, and since the yearly total of hours is 

 usually between 1,000 and 1,200, it is seen 

 that practically one tenth of the total time 

 during the first two years is devoted to dis- 

 cussion and laboratory teaching of this impor- 

 tant system. For comparison with the sum 

 of the average times given to the nervous sys- 

 tem in the three subjects, the answers from 

 16 schools (9 A-|-, 5 A and 2 B) which gave 

 the times for all three subjects are of interest. 

 Although the schools varied from 109 (26) to 



317 hours (16), the average, 214, approaches 

 the above figures.' The possibilities which 

 were noted above, of underestimation of time 

 in regard to each of the three subjects, must 

 also be kept in mind, and if our beliefs in this 

 regard have any validity, it must be concluded 

 that fully ten per cent., and probably as much 

 as fifteen per cent., of the total time of the 

 first two years in medical schools is devoted 

 to the study of the nervous system. 



From personal acquaintance with the con- 

 tent of individual courses in anatomy and 

 physiology, it is certain that many lecturers in 

 both subjects discuss psychological matters 

 and an examination of text-books of physiol- 

 ogy shows that a considerable part of the 

 space devoted to the " physiology of the nerv- 

 ous system" deals with what is now recog- 

 nized as psychology. In this connection it is 

 only necessary to point out that the method 

 of working of the cerebral cells is not under- 

 stood and that, because of this, physiologists 

 describe the mental changes which are con- 

 comitants of injuries to or destructions of 

 cerebral cells and connections. In the teach- 

 ing of the functions of the nervous system, 

 and especially of those of the special sense 

 organs, much psychology (sometimes anti- 

 quated, to be sure) is introduced in lieu of 

 strict psychology." 



From knowledge of individual courses and 

 text-books, the committee believes that at the 

 present time there is more psychology taught 

 in medical schools than the catalogues of the 

 institutions, or the replies to our letters would 

 indicate. Much of this is dealt with in the 



"One school (32) reported a total in all three 

 courses of 460 hours. This figure was not used in 

 the above calculation because the amounts of time 

 for the individual subjects were not noted. 



° The committee does not wish to initiate a dis- 

 cussion regarding the boundaries between and the 

 fields of psychology and physiology. It assumes 

 a certain general agreement regarding these mat- 

 ters which may be expressed briefly by the state- 

 ments that psychology deals with mental matters 

 (sensations, associations, etc.) and that physiology 

 deals chiefly with the activities of cells or organs, 

 and the interrelations of these. 



