Excerpt from A Practical d104-Book of Infection, Immunity, and Specific Therapy: With Special Reference to Immunologic Technic

This is the View that the writer believes that Dr. Kolmer has had in mind in his presentation of the subject as here set down. It is cer tainly true of the chapters that the present writer has had opportunity of examining. In such a sense, therefore, the work is urged on the ap preciation of the student, whether a laboratory worker or a mere seeker of knowledge.

I have often been asked to what extent I believe it profitable to pre sent the subject to the undergraduate student. I do not hesitate to answer that so far as the roster of the medical curriculum will permit, the laboratory demonstrations and exercises should form a part of the required course and that, with all due caution to emphasize the fact that our present theory is not known to be final, and is offered merely tentatively, the verbal picture of the subject should be outlined before these beginners. To form some conception is necessary; and itis better, provided the mind be kept receptive, to follow a certain theory, even if it is unproved, than to do nothing at all or to work in confusion. Our American medical curriculum for undergraduates is so crowded with absolute essentials that the present subject is habitually neglected, save for a rapid lecture outline; this is an injustice to the student and to American medicine. I have tried to minimize this by providing, through Dr. Kolmer's aid, a reasonable laboratory course in the essentials of the branch to volunteer classes at first, at hours that did not interfere with the regular curriculumw - at present during periods open to elec tion. Nevertheless, the subject, influencing as it does every branch of medical practice, must take its place with other commendable additions to the required schedule. That this can be done only by lengthening the course of study, either in the annual session or by adding a year to our present four-year course, is Obvious, and to that end we are rapidly approaching.

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