Page:Transactions of the Provincial Medical and Surgical Association, volume 1.djvu/36

 each year; whose duty it shall be, to report on the state of medicine, in the several countries with which we have literary communication. Thus the state of the science in France, Germany, Italy, and America, would become familiar to each of us, and much interesting and valuable information could not fail thereby to be elicited. In this respect, also, the British Association for the advancement of science, may be imitated by us with great advantage. They have appointed committees of their body to select the points in each science which most call for inquiry, and endeavour to engage competent persons to investigate them; and they attend particularly to the important object of obtaining reports in which confidence may be placed, on the recent progress, the actual state, and the deficiencies, of every department of science.

On the last of these points, the collection of reports, an able and zealous member of the British Association, Professor Whewell, says, " A collection of reports concerning the present state of science, drawn up by competent persons, is, on all accounts, much wanted; in order that scientific students may know where to begin their labours, and in order that those who pursue one branch of science, may know how to communicate with the inquirer in another. For want of this information, we perpetually find speculations published, which shew the greatest ignorance of what has been done and said on the subject to which they refer." Additional energy may, therefore, be given to our proceedings, and the zeal of our members be increased, if a certain number of them be appointed, each year, to