SCIENCE 



A WEEKLY JOURNAL DEVOTED TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE, PUBLISHING THE 



OFFICIAL NOTICES AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION 



FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE. 



Editoeial Committbk : S. Nkwcomb, Mathematics; E. S. Woodward, Meohanios ; E. C. Pickebing, 

 Aatronomy ; T. C. Mbndbnhall, Physios ; R. H. Thueston, Engineering ; Iea Rbmsen, Chemistry ; 

 Chablbs D. Walcott, Geology ; W. M. Davis, Physiography ; Heney F. Osbobn, Paleon- 

 tology ; W. K. Beooks, C. Haet Mbeeiam, Zoology ; S. H. ScUDDBE, Entomology ; C. E. 

 BEsaEY, N. L. Bbitton, Botany ; C. S. Minot, Embryology, Histology ; H. P. 

 BowDiTCH, Physiology ; William H. Welch, Pathology ; 

 J. McKeen Cattell, Psychology. 



Fridat, Mat 15, 1903. 



CONTENTS: 



Medical Education in the United States: Db. 

 Pbank Billings 761 



The Rare Earth Crusade — What it portends. 

 Scientifically and Technically: Professoe 

 Chas. Baskeeville 772 



Scientific Books: — 



Chemical Text-books: Pbofessob Jas. 

 Lewis Howe. Zoological Text-books: Peo- 

 FESSOK V. L. Kellogg. Grasset's L'Eypno- 

 tisme et la suggestion: J. J 781 



Scientific Journals and Articles 789 



Societies and Academies: — 



The Philosophical Society of Washington: 

 Chakles K. Wead. The Biological So- 



■• ciety of Washington: F. A. Lucas. The 

 Geological Society of Washington: W. C. 

 JMendekhall. Section of Geology and 

 Mineralogy of the New York Academy of 

 Sciences: George I. Finlat. Elisha Mit- 

 chell Scientific Society: Professor Chas. 

 Baskeeville 790 



Discussion and Correspondence : — 



Ecology: De. H. W. Wiley. Are Stamens 

 atid Pistils Sexual Organs? Professoe 

 Conway MacMillan. Patagonian Geol- 

 ogy : Professoe A. E. Obtman 794 



Current Notes on Meteorology : — 



Meteorological Reporter to the Government 

 of India; Dunn's 'The Weather'; Notes: 

 Professoe R. DeC. Wabd 796 



General James T. Stratton: Eob't E. C. 

 Steaens 797 



Scientific Notes and Nexcs 797 



University and Educational Neivs 799 



MSS. intended f 01 publication and books, etc., intended 

 tor review sbould be sent to tbe responsible editor, Pio- 

 fessor J. McKeen Cattell, Garrison-on-Hudson, N. Y. 



MEDICAL EDUCATION IN THE UNITED 

 STATES* 



One of the chief objects of the organiza- 

 tion of the American Medical Association 

 was the elevation of the standard of med- 

 ical education in the United States. In the 

 president's address, the Father of the Asso- 

 ciation, Dr. N. S. Davis, stated that 'the 

 purpose of the organization was the im- 

 provement of our system of medical educa- 

 tion and the direct advancement of medical 

 science and practice. ' f That medical edu- 

 cation in that day was defective, as recog- 

 nized by the founders of the Association, 

 is shown by the report of the Committee 

 on Medical Education in the year 1850. 

 The committee said, in part, as follows: 

 "Medical education is defective because 

 there are too many medical schools; the 

 teachers are too few. There are too many 

 students. The quantity of medicine taught 

 is too limited; the quality too superficial, 

 and the mode of bestowal of the honors of 

 medicine too profuse and too unrestricted. ' ' 



* President's address, delivered at the fifty- 

 fourth annual session of the American Medical 

 Association, at New Orleans, May 5-8, 1903. 



t Transactions A. M. A., Vol. XVI., 1865. 



