68 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



From this table it is seen that the more zoology the student has 

 taken the better his grade in anatomy and histology. As already 

 stated, however, the practitioner must not specialize in anatomy, and 

 the only college courses which it seems wise to recommend to all 

 candidates for the medical school are as follows: General zoology, dis- 

 section of vertebrates, practise in the use of the microscope and in 

 microscopic technic, elementary embryology. 



Botany. — The study of plants is clearly less intimately related to 

 medicine than the study of animals. The peculiar importance of the 

 bacteria, however, makes a laboratory half-course in the morphology 

 of plants, with special reference to the fungi, very desirable. This will 

 give the student a more comprehensive idea of these organisms than 

 can be obtained in a medical school; it will show their relation to 

 yeasts, moulds and other low plants, some of which are of medical 

 importance. At the same time the student will be trained in making 

 accurate observations of natural phenomena and in reasoning on the 

 basis of what he has himself observed. This ability, which may be 

 cultivated both in botanical and zoological courses, is of the utmost 

 value to the physician. 



The study of the flowering plants was once intimately associated 

 with medicine; and the array of drugs still used, which are derived 

 from plants, would seem to make it important. The teacher of pharma- 

 cology, however, is not seeking students familiar with medicinal fox- 

 gloves and white poppies, but desires those well trained in chemistry. 

 The botany of flowering plants is, therefore, not recommended. 



Geology. — Geology appeals irresistibly to a "naturalist," but has 

 little value for the physician. The air, soil and water are discussed 

 in courses on hygiene, and in connection with drainage problems and 

 water supplies geological knowledge is important. This, however, is 

 not a sufficient reason for recommending geology. 



Chemistry. — The study of chemistry in preparation for the work 

 of a medical school is of great importance. Accordingly both a con- 

 siderable amount of theoretical chemistry and not a little laboratory 

 work are desirable. 



General descriptive inorganic chemistry and qualitative analysis 

 are a necessary introduction to all chemical study, and must come first 

 in any plan of chemical training; they serve to familiarize the student 

 with the characteristics of simple chemical processes and substances, 

 and with the more elementary chemical theories. These courses must 

 be followed by at least a brief course in organic chemistry, because that 

 subject, with its unique and highly important theoretical development, 

 is absolutely essential to an understanding of certain physiological 

 processes; and it is of such a nature that it can be assimiliated, even 

 in its most simple form,' only after a considerable period of time has 

 been devoted to its study. 



