of the Monthly International Journal. 3 



of tliings, the existence of wliich is undeniable, is altogether 

 to be desired. That it lias remained unchanged for so long 

 a time bas its chief reason in the fact that an international 

 organ for the exchange of ideas between scientific workers be- 

 longing to different countries has hitherto been wanting. If 

 for instance a scientific theory has been attacked in a language 

 other than that employed by the author lie will generally find 

 a difficulty in replying in the same language as that used by 

 bis antagonist. Besides which, to answer an attack in a Journal 

 published in another country or written in another language is 

 practically to defend oneself before an audience which has 

 not witnessed the attack. 



It is true that the best known periodicals, such as those 

 established by Job. Müller, Kölliker and von Siebold etc., have 

 occasionally published in their columns articles written in a 

 foreign language. But these have been so few and far between 

 that one (;an turn over the pages of whole volumes witliout 

 Coming across any such communication however short. 



A change has already been made in the case of some 

 Sciences. Thus the „Astronomischen Nachrichten" and the 

 „Zoologischer Anzeiger" although published in Grcrmany freely 

 admit articles written in other languages. 



It must be allowed that Anatomy may also lay claim to 

 a cosmopolitan character, speaking, as it does, by its forms 

 and pictorial representations a universally intelligible language. 

 Every one knows that with the aid of the original illustrations 

 and a readable review or report it is comparatively easy to 

 understand the views of an author, even if he has written in 

 a language one does not oneself understand, 



1* 



