252 
OBITUARY. 
substance being the same. In short, be wants a little public no¬ 
toriety at somebody’s expense other than his own. 
Jas. C. Corlies, D.V.S. 
OBITUARY. 
One of our exchanges brings the sad news of the death of 
l)r. It. R. Lord, who died recently in Baltimore—a member of 
the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, from which he gradu¬ 
ated in 1873. Dr. Lord had met with a good practice, and made 
a number of friends, in the exercise of his profession. 
MUSEUMS AS EDUCATIONAL ADJUNCTS TO MEDICAL COLLEGES. 
By M. Josiaii Roberts. 
(Continued from page 196.) 
YI.— Management. 
The origin, development and continued growth of museums of all kinds, and 
in all ages, has been in nearly every instance purely a matter of chance. There 
ho,H been no management; no idea of the true function of a museum. “ In almost 
every case, when the history of any of these institutions is traced, it will be found 
that it had its origin in quite an accidental way, and that no well-defined and in¬ 
telligent system has been followed out in the establishment of those institutions 
meant for public instruction.” (19.) 
Under the head of notes, in Nature , the prevailing tendency on the part of 
museum managers to collect objects and place them upon exhibition, without 
reference to their utility, has been severely criticized as follows: 
“But, so far from promoting this worthy end, managers of many provincial 
museums seem to understand nothing more than the establishment of unmeaning 
curiosity shops, better fitted to amaze the eyes and puzzle the brains of the 
groundlings, than to convey rational amusement and instruction to the people.” 
(27, XV., 344.) 
Dr. Sclater jias called attention to the fact that the government of a museum 
should be in the hands of persons who have special qualifications for the task. (15.) 
In i eference to the management of museums, the following observations are made 
in an editorial in Nature: 
“If we look around at our public institutions we find that the machinery of 
those which prove themselves to be the most successful is that in which a single 
officer has the control, who being frequently re-elected, is responsible only to a 
body which criticizes all his actions, and to which he refers all serious questions 
of finance and management. Inefficiency on the part of the officer under this ar¬ 
rangement allows of his replacement without difficulty, at the same time lie is 
