138 Proceedings of the British Association. 



Section E.— MEDICAL SCIENCE. 

 This Section met, and adjourned. 



Section F.— STATISTICS. 



Mr. J. Heywood read a paper * On the University Statistics of 

 Germany/ He stated that the number of professors is about 1,500, 

 and of students 15,000; and particularly directed attention to the 

 University of Gottingen, where the numbers have fallen from 2,000 

 to about 600, in consequence of the conduct of the King of Hanover. 

 On a comparison of the courses of study, it appeared that those of 

 the Catholic universities were disproportionately onerous, about five 

 hours every day being given to prayers and religious duties. The 

 origin of duelling among the German students was ascribed to their 

 being permitted to wear swords as a badge of gentility ; but the duels 

 were shown to be generally of a harmless nature. 



Mr. Heywood also read a paper { On the Comparative number of 

 Degrees taken at Cambridge in the Seventeenth and Nineteenth 

 Centuries.' The result showed that there had not been any material 

 increase in the course of two centuries, — the average being about 

 320 annually at each period. Nearly one-third of the students leave 

 the university without taking a degree. Conversation ensued, and it 

 was suggested that the more mature age at which students now enter 

 was one cause why graduations have not increased in proportion to 

 the population. Prof. Pryme observed that it might arise from the 

 comparative cheapness and style of living. In former times three or 

 four students used to divide among them one room, and two under- 

 graduates slept together. He also stated, that had the comparison 

 been taken as to the early years of both centuries, Cambridge would 

 have been found declining, for that the number of graduations had 

 been small during the war. On referring to Newman's translation of 

 Huber, it was found that they had been 122 in 1810, and 149 in 

 1811, but that in 1822 they rose to about 300. 



