carried away by a gross materialism and thus neglect the higher and nobler aspirations of the spirit that looks to a hereafter.

Sound notions on abuse of nature, on marriage and the proper relations between husband and wife and kindred ethical and religious data should be acquired. A more or less profound acquaintance with Christian philosophy and ethics and theology will here be beneficial.

Proper pursuit of such knowledge will naturally tend to train the character and the mind, for such pursuits, besides storing the mind with useful and important knowledge, will invest the young medical student with a sense of the dignity and sanctity and responsibility of his calling.

Henry W. Cattell, Editor of Medical Notes and Queries, Philadelphia, Pa.

(1) No one without the moral instinct should study medicine. Fair play at games is as much of a criterion as high grades. The kind of studies really makes but little difference; it is the teacher. A totally different curriculum may give the same good (or bad) result. What I object to in our teaching of to-day is that individuality is lost sight of. There is a common mould for all, and woe to the poor youth who does not conform to it, no matter if it cuts off all originality of thought and action. It was just as well for Herbert Spencer that he did not go to the public schools, while Gladstone was no doubt benefited by so doing. Personally I favor botany, geology, biology, either Greek or Latin, rarely both, modern languages, and a thorough study of English. The reading of biography is most important in the developing of character.

(2) What has been said under character applies to mental discipline. The two go hand in hand. In the making of a rascal there is plenty of mental discipline. Indeed the brightest minds are apt to be at least politicians, if nothing worse. State medicine has revolutionized the practice of medicine, and our medical colleges are to blame for low standards of morals. So many more students so much more income, and a larger steal for an appropriation from the state. There should be one sort of training for its students with money who want to do original work and another for the ordinary individual who must work to live and studies to cure and prevent disease. Attention to details is the greatest mental discipline a student can have, be the details what they may.

(3) Few facts are really necessary, but those things which he knows he must be sure of. It is not facts that are wanted, but the ability to know where you can get at them with the greatest accuracy and with the least expenditure of time and energy. A German may have at his command twice the number of facts, but the American will make better use of those he is in possession of. It is one thing to know and another to be able to use knowledge for your own advantage and that of others.

Facts really do not train the character and the mind. It is the manner in which the acquisition of facts is obtained that makes all the difference

between success and failure in after life. A person may have totally forgotten his Greek and yet its training has been of inestimable value to his character and mind. Original observations make a man honest or show him up as a knave.

Charles V. Chapin, Superintendent of Health, Providence, R. I. (1) It is assumed that a scientific physician is the product to be desired from the scheme of education. A different scheme would be needed for the would-be-successful physician. Character, as I understand it, involves moral characters. Industry and honesty are perhaps the most important. Such qualities are largely dependent on heredity. Scientific training does, I believe, make for honesty.

(2) Training furnished by the natural sciences is of the first importance in preparation for medical work.

A training in mathematics is of secondary, though of considerable, importance.

A knowledge of literature, art and history (the humanities) is perhaps not more necessary for a medical man than for others. Studies reaching to such knowledge are desirable. The study of Latin and Greek as ordinarily pursued is practically useless for this purpose.

(3) A reading knowledge of French and German.

As full a knowledge as possible of the principles of biology, the properties of living tissue, development, heredity, evolution, etc.

A fair knowledge of the principles of chemistry, physics and psychology. The acquisition of such facts is of the utmost value in mental training.

N. H. Chapman, Monte Vista, Colorado.

(1) Honesty, tact and aptitude.

Early religious family training and a good common school education. (2) All things which in honor bind to the original oath of Hippocrates. (3) A well earned A.B., PhG.' or B.S. from some school of good repute. Yes.

John Chase, Professor, University of Colorado, Denver, Colo. (1)(a) If by character you mean "The individuality which is the product of nature, environment and habit," I should say that the character should be founded on morality and should be distinguished by "thoroughness" and a systematic attention to duty.

(b) The feasibility of teaching morality is too big a subject for this page. Thoroughness and a systematic attention to duty should be developed by every system of education.

(c) Chemistry and mathematics produce thoroughness, and early and strict military training teach the "systematic attention."

1 Sic-possibly Ph.B. is intended.

As I understand your proposition you eliminate considerations of "culture" and the value of belles-lettres in preparing a man to take up his medical studies.

(2) As a minimum I should say the amount furnished by the average high cchool. I consider that any student will "profitably benefit" by a medical sourse, for I have repeatedly watched the development and growth of mentality in those who commenced the medical course with very little preliminary training, but I presume the question was to determine the minimum on which it is wise to build.

(a) Those implied by thorough course in physics.

No exhaustive course could be given in any one of these as a minimum requirement. Any one or all can be used to train the mind.

Solomon Solis Cohen, Professor, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Pa.

(1) Close observation, broad view, accuracy, modesty, clearness of expression.

Scientific studies first, laboratory observation, physics, chemistry, astronomy, biology from ground up.

Second, humanities, with special attention to English classics.

Third, history.

Fourth, philosophy.

Fifth, mathematics.

(2) This is probably covered by previous answer.

The discipline of mathematics gives exactitude and logical method.

The discipline of history teaches human nature.

The discipline of philosophy teaches penetration, boldness, broadness, generalization, the danger of excessive detail.

The discipline of science teaches accuracy, the test of theory by fact, the inductive method, the limitations of speculation, the advantage of bold hypothesis.

The discipline of language teaches orderly thought and correct expression. (3) Physics, inorganic chemistry, positively, organic chemistry if possible. Elementary biology.

French, German positively.

(English of course.)

Latin desirably.

(Greek, if it can be acquired without neglect of science, gives a rounding and finish but it is not a requirement.)

The scientific work gives the best training, if with it goes philosophy.

George Cowan, Danville, Ky.

(1) "The character to be desired of the neophyte in medicine" is one composed of the very highest possible order of candor truthfulness—a love of the truth for truth's sake. Hippocrates rightly says "Medicine is of all the arts the most noble," and the following extracts from the "Oath" prescribed to those who came to him to be taught medicine are highly worthy of consideration in this respect. "With purity and holiness I will pass my life and practise my art. I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel; and in like manner I will not give to a woman a pessary to produce abortion." Indeed the entire Hippocratic "Law" and "Oath" with certain modifications should form the basis of a course of lectures on medical ethics in every school of medicine.

(2) The formation of industrious habits and close application to whatever studies are engaged in from the primary schools up through our best high schools. In childhood kindergarden training and instruction, by competent masters of the art, would likely take the place of primary schools to some extent. College or university degrees alone are no evidence of fitness to study medicine, but are valuable according to the rank and standard of the institution conferring them.

(3) A sufficient knowledge of Latin and Greek, to be at home in the deviation and use of the special terminology of medicine and all auxiliary studies. Also a good knowledge of all the physical sciences except mechanics as applied in the arts.

The "acquisition of these facts" could be used to train the mind. Foreign languages (German and French) would be valuable but not indispensably necessary.

C. M. Culver, Albany, New York.

(1) One of industry, persistency and steadfast rightness. Educational processes include all influences that tend to develop good character.

"Most of a college education is gotten outside the recitation room."Andrew D. White.

Whether fashionable or otherwise, the dead languages are a fit study for the prospective medical student. Mathematics give fine ideas of evolution, the relation of cause and effect. So do physics. Whatever the studies, among proper ones, their best purpose is to teach the brains how to work and its owner to know how to keep it "fit," and get the most out of it without overdoing the matter. Caeteris paribus, those studies are best that help most toward understanding the present needs of the race, e. g., electricity (elementary), and the principles of sociology.

(2) That which constitutes a reasonable "training," it may have any of many forms. A first desideratum is to learn if to become a medicus is, for the person in question, the worthy purpose that each young person ought to have, as early after the age of sixteen as possible. Assuming that the

decision is favorable to devoting one's life to remedying the physical ills of one's fellows, the discipline, after that, ought not to be narrow, but always undertaken with the medicine's goal in view. There's nothing that a physician can know that cannot be used in behalf of patients. Narrow-mindedness is very undesirable, as a quality of a physician. Yet, a physician ought to devote the best that is in him, physical, mental or spiritual, to provide his fitness to fulfil his function as a healer of disease. Equipose ought to be maintained, all through life, and the pre-medical (ante-medical) education ought to facilitate this as much as possible.

(3) As much knowledge of history as can be acquired without injurious strain. Greek, Latin, French and German-the more the better. Chemistry, rationally considered, as far as is possible for a young person's elementary electricity and physics. That any one who is looking for "flowery beds of ease" is a fool to try to be a worthy physician and achieve the aforesaid beds simultaneously. That as Gen. Wood has said: "There's something besides money!" That labor omnia vincit or at least, comes nearer to it than anything else does. That to have a well defined purpose in life and to pursue it indefatigably, courageously, industriously and persistently is well for any one else. Keep as well balanced as possible! "No matter how poor you are, take six consecutive weeks, each year, during which you do no professional work!"-Sir Andrew Clark (to a medical class). For the earnest, honest student there is apt "training" in many kinds of preparatory courses.

Judson Daland, Professor, Medico-Chirurgical College, Philadelphia, Pa.

(1) The character to be desired in a neophyte in medicine is:

(a) Love of truth in investigation.

(b) Studiousness.

(c) Reasonable seriousness.

The answer to question 2 will develop character.

(2) Mental discipline secured in obtaining the degree of A.B. from any of our best colleges, with special attention given in the last year to biology, histology, anatomy, physiology and physics as applied to medicine.

(3) A broad general education with especial attention to those subjects cognate to medicine as indicated in answer to question 2.

It is within the power of the teacher to make these studies influence favorably the character and mind of the neophyte. It is also desirable that logic should be taught while this knowledge is being acquired.

Gwilym G. Davis, Associate Professor, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa.

(1) As to character the proposed student should have earnestness of purpose, a moderate amount of ability in study and an absence of mean or vicious traits. This blocks out the dilettante and lazy, the densely ignorant and the unprincipled.