440 Proceedings of the British Association. 



have been recehdy published by the Equitable Insurance Office 

 in London^ pointing out the vast importance of the results that 

 might be obtained from the experience of other similar societies, 

 and suggested schedules of inquiries that might with advantage be 

 submitted to them ; adding a list of insurance offices in London 

 and various parts of the country, with the dates of their establish- 

 ment. 



EVENING — George's street assembly rooms. 



The President having taken the Chair, the business com- 

 menced by reading the reports of the proceedings of the Sec- 

 tions. Dr Abercronibie, in concluding the report of his Sec- 

 tion, went on to say, " that, in thus concluding the reports of 

 the Medical Section, he found it necessary to state, that the 

 whole business of that Section had been conducted in the most 

 satisfactory manner, and that a great variety of most important 

 communications had been laid before them ; but, considering 

 these as not adapted for a mixed assembly, he had alluded to 

 them in very few words. Having, therefore,'' he continued, 

 " intruded but little upon your attention, I trust you will in- 

 dulge me for one minute while I express, in the name of the 

 Medical profession of Edinburgh, the high satisfaction we have 

 received from the meeting which is now drawing to a close, 

 especially by having been brought into personal intercourse, 

 and I trust personal friendship, with so many distinguished in- 

 dividuals, whose names have long been familiar to us as hold- 

 ing the highest rank in physical science. From their combined 

 labours we expect the most important results to every depart- 

 ment of human knowledge. I am none of those who anticipate 

 from the researches of physical science, any thing adverse to 

 the highest interests of man as a moral being. On the con- 

 trary, I am convinced that those who have made the greatest 

 attainments in true science will be the first to acknowledge their 

 own insignificance, when viewed in relation to that incompre- 

 hensible One who guides the planet in its course, and maintains 

 the complicated movements of ten thousand suns and ten thou- 

 sand systems in undeviating harmony. Infidelity and irreligion, 

 I am satisfied, are the oftspring of ignorance united to pre- 

 sumption ; and the boldest researches of physical science, if 



