426 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



instruction in the elements of Physiology and Hygiene, either by the 

 use of some short and plain text-book, or, what is still better, by 

 lectures from some competent resident physician. I confess that I 

 greatly prefer the latter method. Not only theory, but experience, 

 leads me to prefer it. Were it not that we have made a very great 

 mistake in our systems of public instruction, by severing our common- 

 school instruction from advanced instruction, we should by this time 

 have a body of teachers in our common schools abundantly able to 

 lecture to the pupils without a text-book. I trust the time will come 

 when provision will be made just as thoroughly for advanced instruc- 

 tion as for primary and common-school instruction, when all will be 

 connected together ; when the present illogical separation that exists, 

 under which primary and common-school education is provided for by 

 the State, and advanced education is left very inadequately provided 

 by various religious denominations, will be done away with. But at 

 present we have comparatively few teachers in our public schools who 

 are competent, without text-books, to teach a subject of this kind; 

 therefore it is that I would have provision made, in our larger schools 

 especially, for lectures by resident physicians. That the interest of 

 pupils can be roused in this way I know, for I have seen it fully tried. 

 It is one of those subjects in which, with a little care, the great body 

 of school-children can be greatly interested, and this without the 

 slighest detriment to other subjects. The very change of method will 

 make them come back to other subjects of study with renewed vigor. 

 Next, as to instruction in our Colleges and Universities. I would 

 have instruction in physiology and hygiene more advanced, systematic, 

 and thorough. Those who have read Herbert Spencer's work on "Edu- 

 cation," no matter what they may think of some minor ideas, must 

 have been greatly struck by that part in which he gives his esti- 

 mate of the comparative value of different branches of knowledge. 

 Among those which should be placed first he names Human Physiol- 

 ogy. The reason is very simple. Human Physiology is simply the 

 study of a machine which we are to run, nay, which is to run us for three- 

 score yeafs and ten. Certainly it is a study which falls very directly 

 to us. The study of hygiene naturally comes in connection with it, 

 and it was in obedience to this idea that, in framing the general course 

 of instruction for the Cornell University, careful provision for physi- 

 ology and hygiene was made. An extensive series of models was 

 purchased, diagrams from Paris and London were obtained, and what 

 was far better, a young professor, who had already begun to obtain a 

 reputation not only as a close investigator, but as an impressive lecturer, 

 was set at the work. The result has been most satisfactory. I am 

 persuaded that study of this kind forms an admirable relief from 

 other studies, pursued in a different way, and for a different purpose. 

 In this case, the study of Physiology and Hygiene has been made 

 very thorough. Frequent and close examinations have been demanded, 



