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1884.] Editors’ Table. 303 
given to physiology in this country, This science is the basis of 
all sound medical practice, and the time cannot now be far distant 
when every reputable medical school will be forced to seek a pro- 
fessional physiologist to enroll among its professors. Few depart- 
ments of science have changed more fundamentally within recent 
years than physiology. It is not long since it was barely more 
than a series of anatomical deductions enriched by a slight 
knowledge of the functions of organs, whereas it is now an exact 
and experimental science, which employs both the apparatus of 
the physicist and the reagents of the chemist as well as many in- 
struments adapted to its own special needs, and which can be 
carried on only in the laboratory. Dr. H. P. Bowditch estab- 
lished at the Harvard Medical School the first well-equipped phys- 
iological laboratory in the country, and the example then set 
has since been followed elsewhere. It is to be hoped that the 
ample endowment of the Johns Hopkins University will be in 
part used to enable Professor Martin to develop his laboratory to 
the highest standard, and that it may exert a far-reaching influ- 
ence towards promoting not only pure but also medical science, 
so that it may never fall behind its competitors, but become the 
Worthy compeer of the Harvard laboratory. But while we wel- 
come the auspicious opening of this department of the young 
university at Baltimore, we cannot escape a feeling of regret that 
ne professor of biology, instead of aiming first at a secure posi- 
ton in medical physiology, even at the sacrifice of much else in 
biology, should not have fixed upon a higher ideal more worthy 
a great university. Morphology, botany, general physiology 
and biology are all to wait, content to be the handmaidens of 
medical physiology. The magnificent opportunity to accom- 
the immediate development of a school of scientific biology 
~ been deliberately renounced. We deplore what we consider 
Serious mistake, and are unable to justify the postponement 
_ Proper university work in order to favor one class of profes- 
Sonal men. Professor Martin’s address must, we fear, disap- 
Ag oped of the high hopes raised by the early aspirations of 
x Johns Hopkins University. It is too explicit a statement of 
Purpose too one-sided. 
the Phi > many years a number of the scientific members of 
eo phia Academy of Natural Sciences have endeavored 
~ Preserve the institution for the use of a high standard of orig- 
