The Harvard Medical School has numbered among its faculty from the first some of the most eminent physicians of our country. The professors have not been practitioners only, but men of high scientific attainments who have made notable contributions to the science of medicine. Among the most important things accomplished in the recent studies by the Harvard medical faculty may be mentioned discoveries concerning congenital dislocation, cancer, acetonemia, blood pressure, small-pox and scarlet fever.
The contributive activity of various departments of the Harvard Medical School is indicated by the list of publications made during the year from October 1, 1903, to October 1, 1904. Anatomy, 7; physiology, 9; histology and embryology, 3; bacteriology, 7; pharmacology and therapeutics, 2; pathology, 22; comparative pathology, 4; surgery, 14; hygiene, 8. Probably nearly as many more investigations were being carried on but were not published within the period mentioned.
The school is about to enter upon a new and distinct period in its history as the possessor of the finest equipment for medical study of any medical school in the world. In its new location the Harvard Medical School will be enabled to carry on in the most satisfactory manner the study of medicine in theory, practise and laboratory investigation. It, of course, remains to be seen how thoroughly the conditions will be utilized by the faculty and students in furthering the' advance of medical knowledge and medical study, but the excellent work done with limited facilities bespeaks a great future activity.
The provisions made in the new buildings for the study of medicine are those that are demanded by the medical knowledge and the advanced methods of the times. Apropos of this it has been well said that the advance in medicine during the past thirty years has been greater than in all preceding time.
The distribution of the buildings, which are being erected at an expenditure of about $2,000,000, and their general style of architecture is shown in the accompanying illustration, from a photograph of a model that was exhibited at the St. Louis Fair, in which the administration building appears in the center at the head of the court, while on the right (facing the picture) the front building is to be devoted to the subjects of hygiene and pharmacology, and the second one to physiology and physiological chemistry. The front building on the left is to be occupied by the departments of surgery, bacteriology and pathology; and the one behind it to anatomy, histology and embryology.
Work upon these new buildings was begun in September, 1903, but it is not expected that they will be completed until towards the close of 1905. which will preclude their being occupied until the fall term of 1906.
