BIO-CHEMISTRY

The Department of Bio-chemistry which was founded five years ago has encountered a grave difficulty in trying to accomplish its purpose. It attempts to supply a general scientific foundation for students planning to go to the Medical School. The difficulty arises from the fact that the Department is forced to straddle the Departments of Chemistry, Physics, and Zoology with the tutorial conferences as the only connecting link.

Since Bio-chemistry offers no courses of its own, it has to depend on the other three Departments for instruction. These are planned for the students concentrating in them, and not for those needing a more general knowledge. The Bio-chemistry student should cover the basic work in each subject rapidly, and then proceed to advanced courses. But the fundamental courses which he needs are not given so that he can take them consecutively. For instance, in Zoology the three courses which are prerequisite to advanced work are given during the first half of the year. Since the first is necessary for the second, and the second for the third, it takes three years to gain a foundation. The results of this condition which exists in all three Departments are obvious. A student is forced to waste time during the half of each year, and be has only the last part of his senior year to devote to the real work of the department.

There is no reason why the Departments of Chemistry, Physics, and Zoology should not cooperate better with that of Bio-chemistry, and give the courses so that they may be taken consecutively by Bio-chemistry concentrators. If this change were made, a student would be able to do in a year and a half what now takes twice that time.