338 Lecture on Botany. 



derive benefit from those efforts "wliicli have successfully terminat- 

 ed in the institution of special courses of instruction on the most 

 important departments of Natural History. 



To the student who is undergoing a regular course of collegiate 

 education, the sciences of Natural History possess interest of con- 

 siderable value. They form, as it were, a sister-alliance with his 

 strictly professional studies and, as an adjunct to the latter, contri- 

 bute materially to the health of his mind. We admit, it is of 

 paramount importance that professional students should be tho- 

 roughly educated in the science and literature of their respective 

 professions, a perfect knowledge of which is essential to their 

 callings. But while granting this, we would not -hesitate to em- 

 ploy means for the occasional diversion of the mind, by turning 

 the thoughts into channels, giving a wider range for the occupa- 

 tion, improvement and gratification of the senses, the feelings and 

 the imagination. It would^thus be in our power to counteract 

 the tendency of an education purely professional, a tendency too 

 apparent, but rarely acknowledged ere it be too late to remedy. 

 And what is this tendency ? " To limit the range of mental 

 vision," is the expressive language of one who stood pre-eininent 

 in science, the late Professor Forbes, for, said he, " were the 

 sciences so infused to be entirely professional, we should warp and 

 contract the mind, the tonic Avould b3 too strong, would not in- 

 vigorate but corrugate." 



These remarks are applicable to students of all professions, 

 but it is "particularly to the student of medicine that the Na- 

 tural History sciences prove of so much practical value. The 

 necessity and importance of admixing them with his jorofessional 

 studies is an opinion now firmly established, and of the advan- 

 tages there can be no question. To quote the words of the late 

 Sir George Ballangall, " it is indispensable to any man who 

 aspires to the elevated rank of a Physician." But I cannot 

 do better here than give the testimony of the able authority, 

 (Forbes) previously mentioned, who spoke thus ; — "We can most 

 beneficially counteract the natural tendency of purely professional 

 studies, through the collateral sciences, which are sufficiently allied 

 to the professional ones to prevent an undue dissipation of the 

 students' thoughts, and at the same time are sufBciently different 

 to give them a wider sphere of action. It is in this point of view, 

 that we should regard the Natural History sciences as branches of 

 medical education. For my own part, after much intercourse 



