7 2 
HELEN ABBOTT MICHAEL 
ance of Professor Löw, are missing. From Munich she pro¬ 
ceeded to Zurich, where Lunge, the director of the chemi¬ 
cal laboratory, assured her that it was quite unnecessary for 
her to present any letters to him, since she was very well 
known to him, some of her work having been described in the 
“ Berichte.” 
He explained the situation very fully to her: — 
“The Polytechnicum is quite distinct from the University, 
and cannot confer degrees; but after a very severe course 
of study, and a hard examination in several branches, they 
give a diploma which entitles the student to go, with this di¬ 
ploma and a dissertation, to the University, and after a very 
light examination from that faculty, to have the degree of 
Ph.D. conferred. Or it is possible to pursue two or three 
branches and then to go up to the University faculty and be 
examined by them. This examination, of course, would be 
difficult, since the professors who examine have not taught. 
This is frequently done, however, by students. The chemi¬ 
cal courses are so extreme that five semesters are required 
to cover the entire ground. Lunge advised my returning pre¬ 
ferably for a summer semester for the start. This begins in 
May, but the student should arrive early — not later than 
the middle of April. The chemistry is divided into so many 
departments that a student may select almost any line for 
study. Lunge said the chemical school was almost unsur¬ 
passed for its advantages.” He gave her other advice, in 
regard to a thorough grounding in German, for example, 
and to come to hear lectures in all departments of chemistry 
and botany, and then be free to avail herself of all advantages. 
This very much appealed to her. 
Lunge invited her to dine at his house and presented 
her to his wife and children. At the dinner, she met a Japan¬ 
ese and a Pole. At table “ Lunge discussed the comparative 
merits of the chemists of other countries. He thought the 
French to be immensely behindhand in not recognizing the 
studies of other nations. . . . Some of the French chemists 
have not yet given up the old nomenclature. He described the 
laboratories as old and generally poor.” He thought that the 
