744 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



been directed more toward general physiology than before ; and the 

 first volume of lectures, published after his health had become partially 

 restored, was more philosophical in its scope than his earlier writings. 

 Still, his tendency was always toward original investigation, and, in 

 his reasoning, he closely followed the deductive method. 



It is difficult for one who has not followed closely the progress of 

 physiology for the past quarter of a century to appreciate the full merit 

 of the original work accomplished by Bernard, and the immense influ- 

 ence which he and his followers have exerted by the impulse they have 

 given to the experimental and deductive method. His studies in the 

 nervous system resulted not only in a number of important discoveries, 

 but in the adoption of many entirely novel methods of experimentation. 

 His discovery of the production of sugar by the liver gave the first 

 definite idea of the possible function of a ductless gland. The dis- 

 covery of the digestion of fats by the pancreas gave to physiologists 

 the first positive fact with regard to intestinal digestion. The dis- 

 covery of the influence of the sympathetic system of nerves over animal 

 heat, made in 1851, opened the subject of the relations of the nervous 

 system to nutrition and the action of the vaso-motor nerves ; and 

 examples of this kind might be largely extended in number. 



The importance of the labors of Bernard was fully recognized in 

 France, where he long held the highest professorial positions, and was 

 the recipient of many honors from his government. He was assistant 

 and prosector to Magendie from 1841 to the time of the death of Ma- 

 gendie in 1855, and acted as his substitute at the College of France 

 from 1847 to 1855. In 1843 he took his medical degree. In 1853 he 

 took the degree of Doctor of Sciences, and was appointed to the chair 

 of General Physiology which was created for him at the Faculty of 

 Sciences. In 1855 he succeeded Magendie as Professor of Medicine at 

 the College of France. In 1868 he was appointed professor at the 

 Museum of Natural History. He was elected a member of the Acad- 

 emy of Medicine in 1861, perpetual President of the Society of Biology 

 in 1867, and a member of the Institute of France in 1869. In 1867 

 he was appointed commander in the Legion of Honor, and Senator of 

 France in 1869. At the time of his death he was a member of most of 

 the learned societies of Europe, and of several in America. In the 

 French Chamber of Deputies, when his death was announced, his mem- 

 ory received the unusual honor of a unanimous vote decreeing that his 

 funeral be conducted at the expense of the state. 



Such, in brief, was the career of one who was the greatest physi- 

 ologist of the nineteenth century. His labors extended over a period 

 of thirty-five years. They were untiring and most fruitful in practical 

 results. It may be truly said that he ended his work only with his life, 

 and he corrected the last proofs of a series of lectures, published after 

 his death, upon the bed of sickness from which he never arose. 



