Sf.ptembek 4, l'J03.] 



SCIENCE. 



295 



and its dependencies, and constitute our 

 reliance not only in the ordinary work of 

 the service but in times of special need. 



CONFEREKCE ORGANIZATION. 



I have deemed it necessary to give this 

 somewhat extended account of the organ- 

 ization of the service, both that our aims 

 and methods may be understood and that 

 I may the more readily explain a proposed 

 method of making these annual conferences 

 of practical utility. It might be advisable 

 to appoint on special committees members 

 of the conference especially interested in 

 the several subjects to be considered by 

 these committees, said committees to remain 

 in organization during the year and to re- 

 ceive for further conference with the Sur- 

 geon-General such matters as might be 

 pertinently referred to them by him. The 

 titles of these committees would find their 

 analogues in the several divisions of the 

 bureau. The reports of these committees 

 could be read to the full conference at its 

 annual meeting, and, if adopted by the 

 bureau and the conference, would have a 

 force and influence which would naturally 

 result from the conjoint action of the na- 

 tional and state authorities. I would sug- 

 gest tentatively the following committees: 

 First, on Scientific Research and Sanita- 

 tion, second, on the Prevention and Spread 

 of Epidemic Diseases, third, on Morbidity 

 and Jlortality Statistics, fourth on State 

 Legislation, fifth, on Education. In addi- 

 tion to these, there might be special com- 

 mittees on certain specified diseases, namely, 

 cholera, yellow fever, pla^ie, smallpox, 

 tuberculosis, leprosy, typhoid fever. To 

 the.se committees might be committed such 

 resolutions as may be oft:'ered here, but the 

 adoption of any resolutions by this con- 

 ference, it seems to me, should not be until 

 after a report thereon had been made by 

 the special connnittee to which it is re- 

 ferred. 



It is believed that the above plan is at 

 least worthy of trial. It would give real 

 aid and would stimulate the members of 

 the committees in an investigation of the 

 subjects confided to them, and might pro- 

 duce a uniformity of effort, a coordination 

 of work in different parts of the country, 

 which now does not obtain. 



"Walter "Wyman. 



U. S. PuBUC Health and 

 Marine-Hospital Service. 



THE GEyERAL EFFICIENCY OF TECHMCAL 

 EDUCATIOX.* 



Doubtless when an alumni address be- 

 came a part of our commencement program, 

 it was intended that it should be directed 

 more especially to you, gentlemen of the 

 graduating class, and should be in the 

 nature of a professional welcome from one 

 of your older brothers. You were to be 

 welcomed into the ranks of the engineering 

 profession by one who, not so very long 

 before, had passed through the same 

 strenuous preparation which you are just 

 finishing and who had since become a suc- 

 cessful engineer. Unfortunately, I have 

 no such claim to your attention, having 

 wandered from the true faith in which we 

 are all trained here, and it is, therefore, 

 impossible for us to meet on the common 

 ground of your future labors. Instead, 

 it has seemed a not inappropriate thing 

 for us to examine briefly your past work; 

 more specifically, to consider the general 

 value and efficiency as a preparation for 

 life, of the technical education which old 

 Rose has given you, and to compare its 

 general influence and value with that of 

 the very different, so-called 'liberal' edu- 

 cation which the regular college or univer- 

 sity gives. 



Technical and liberal educational ,sys- 



' Alumni addi'ess at the comnienoemcnt exer- 

 cises of the Rose Polytechnic Institute, ,June 11, 



l!io:i. 



