44 Instruction in Science for Women. [Jan., 



As a mere education of the intellect, there is no reason for 

 making any difference between the method of conveying scientific 

 information to male and female students. It may he said that 

 some branches of physiology are not fit subjects for young girls — 

 neither are they for young boys : — and with more propriety it may 

 be urged that the refinement of woman's nature would be shocked 

 or deteriorated by the receipt of certain information from men, 

 even when the pupils have arrived at the age of maturity. But 

 this is only another argument in favour of every effort being made, 

 without loss of time, to train women to be the teachers of their own 

 sex in the mysteries of human anatomy and physiology. 



To deny the necessity of imparting this particular kind of 

 instruction at all is simply absurd; for whilst women may make 

 good wives and mothers, without possessing any knowledge of 

 Botany, Electricity, Astronomy, or Chemistry, they cannot possibly 

 be fitted to fill their accustomed sphere without a fair amount of 

 information concerning the laws which govern their own corporeal 

 frame in health and disease, and somewhat at least of the constitu- 

 tion of the other sex. 



That assertion will no doubt be met by the stock argument, 

 "How have our fathers and mothers and our ancestors managed 

 without such knowledge ? " or, " What are doctors for ? " They 

 have managed to lose one, or two, or three children in succession 

 frora the effects of disease ; or perhaps it would be more correct to 

 say, from ignorance of the meaning of directions left by then medi- 

 cal adviser, when by a little intelligent care all would have survived. 

 It is not the doctor who saves the patient's life ; it is he who 

 directs how it is to be saved ; and however able the physician may 

 be, the fate of the patient, in five cases out of six, depends mainly 

 upon the intelligent construction and fulfilment of his wishes by 

 the nurse. Of what use, at a critical period of disease, is any 

 amount of information concerning the latest novel or opera ? Will 

 the most artistic display of chignon, or the widest acquaintance 

 with the mysteries of fashion, avail to protract the hours of a 

 beloved husband, or the moments of a child's life, whilst it sinks 

 under an exhausting disease ? 



It would be a waste of time to discuss here the best system of 

 imparting general scientific instruction to women, as distinguished 

 from men ; but it may be interesting to dwell for a few moments 

 upon the method which is being adopted at South Kensington — 

 not because it appears to be efficient in the case of women only, 

 but because, being advantageous in then case, it would be bene- 

 ficial wherever minds untutored in science are to be appealed to, 

 and the effort made to convey scientific information. And having 

 briefly considered that phase of the subject, we will cursorily refer 

 to the special instruction in those branches of science which would 



