SCHOOL REFORM IN THE FUTURE.

696 ment of a recognised medical centre. Moreover, the the activities of the educational medical officers medical practitioners of North Wales are embar- should not be confined entirely to questions of the rassed by having to send pathological material to health of individual children. They should embrace places remote from its gathering ground, and ought the wider range of educational hygiene, and we are to be able to obtain through the College in their glad to know that many of these officers are showing centre advice and assistance in the more scientific practical agreement with this view. Such practical side of their professional work. These points were child-study is essential to progress, and the results well brought out in the representations made to the of the investigation of abnormal children in the College by the medical deputation, and as a result past have been so fruitful as to promise well for the Council of the College adopted cordially the idea the future, particularly if attention be paid not put before them. Indeed, they went further, for only to the phases of intellectual development but not only is a bacteriological institution to form part to the early stages of emotional and volitional Coordination of research, as well as wider of the new science buildings of the College, but a life. health be is to laboratory spread of knowledge of results already achieved, comprehensive public founded, and a draft scheme with this object has is the great move that should now be taken. now been made public. From this scheme it appears There should be opportunities for discussion and that the work of the laboratory or institute, under for the wide circulation of research in con. its bacteriological or chemical sections, will be nexion with child-study and education. A central well designed to meet the needs in North Wales board, such as the memorandum desires, could not of medical men, sanitary authorities, agricultural only suggest general topics, but also determine in bodies, and veterinary practitioners, and we wish broad outline the necessary procedure, issuing the new enterprise every success. directions on lines which could be followed with a minimum expenditure of time. Uniformity of effort, which is at present wanting in official SCHOOL REFORM IN THE FUTURE. returns and reports, whether on educational pro. A MEMORANDUM has been issued by the Child gress or medical inspection, would thus be secured. Study Society upon the educational principles So far as the strictly medical side of child-study is which should direct future school reform, in which concerned, there is need for facilities rather than the importance is pleaded of basing educational for a special staff. An allowance of even a session methods on sound child-psychology, paying atten- a week for approved research, to be carried out on tion to emotional, moral, and æsthetic activities. previously defined lines, would enable manyprob’ems The ideal curriculum, says the memorandum, to be solved, and would give an interest and zest should consist largely of life-sustaining occupations to an occupation which on its routine side is with more and more intellectual studies grouped monotonous for many whole-time officers. The around them, instead of the education being directed establishment of further bonds of interest and towards the general training of abstract faculties. opportunities for mutual work and discussion Children should at school do necessary, and there- between the doctor and the teacher would be to fore to them interesting, work as well as satisfy the advantage of both and of profit, most of all, to their intellectual curiosity. This need of children the child. to be interested begins to be marked at the stage ACUTE PULMONARY ABSCESS TREATED BY between babyhood and school-age proper-i.e., ARTIFICIAL PNEUMOTHORAX. about 6-8 years of age-and specialists and psychoIN the Journal ofthe Anaerican Medical Associalogists are asked to devise an educational syllabus fitted to this transitional period, when in- tion recently Dr. W. D. Tewksbury has called dividual freedom begins to clashwiththe self-control attention to a simple and rational method of treatdemanded for school-life. The recognition of the ing acute abscess of the lung. He saw in consultachild’s outlook and the introduction of topics of tion a case of acute abscess of the lung following instruction at the moment appropriate for the operation on the nose, and advised as a rational cöoperation of the native instinctive impulses have procedure artificial pneumothorax, although its in considerable measure arisen from the mutual use had previously been confined to pulmonary efforts of the scholastic and medical professions, tuberculosis, excepting a few cases of chronic and owe much to pioneer work among defective pulmonary abscess and one case of interlobar children. The further development of the new empyema. The patient was a mining engineer, and a task is for the 32 teacher, pedagogy mainly aged years, who about the middle of June, 1916, will involve patient and carefully correlated was injured in an elevator, sustaining fracture of experiments. The memorandum urges the pro- the superior maxilla and nose. An operation for motion of research in education by the pro- repair of the nasal septum was performed on vision of the necessary facilities and financial June 17th. He was apparently doing well until assistance, and by the appointment of a strong June 26th, when his temperature rose above Educational Research Board to assist and coordi- 101 F., with pain in the chest and sweating. nate the work. It points out that such a board Pleurisy with a little effusion at the left base could be constituted on similar lines to the Medical was found. The temperature remained high until Research Committee. Much individual research is July 12th, when he suddenly coughed up much actually carried out the results of which remain purulent sputum, and a radiogram showed an unknown save in local circles, while its application abscess in the lower part of the right lung. After and value suffer from lack of facilities for discussion this the temperature remained about 102°, he lost prior to publication. Were experimental and obser- weight, and sweated profusely at times. On vational schools or classes to be established, both in July 22nd Dr. Tewksbury was called in consultation their educacational and medical bearings, many to consider the possibility of using compression problems could be considered, when results might of the lung. He advised waiting a little, both The because the operation would be somewhat of an be worked out under competent control. problems of child-study may be essentially for the experiment and because of the pleurisy with scholastic profession, but it is most desirable that effusion on the opposite side. The patient con___