SECTION IV, 1912 [3] Trans. R. $. C. 
Presidential Address 
By Dr. J. G. ADAMI 
(Read May 14, 1912.) 
Gentlemen, 
If I mistake not this is the first occasion upon which a pathologist, 
a student of the science of Medicine, has been honoured by being called 
to preside over this section of the Royal Society of Canada, wherefore 
it is fitting that I should embrace the occasion to proclaim the. faith 
that is in me, or, what is equivalent, to place before you my views re- 
garding the scientific aspect of medicine. I will not enter into that 
ancient discussion as to whether medicine has a right to be termed a 
science: I will only lay down that to the extent that medical investiga- 
tion and diagnosis are conducted by methods of precision and medical 
treatment is based upon results of exact observation—to that extent 
medicine is a Science. And yearly this extent is increasing. Yearly 
therefore medicine is becoming more and more scientific. It is futile 
to object that it is a hodge-podge of many sciences—morphology 
physiology, physics, chemistry and, in fact, all the sciences, save perhaps 
geology and astronomy. But even with these latter two, so far as 
mineralogy is a part of geology, the study of the characters and structures 
of calculi brings the medical investigator into close touch with the miner- 
alogist, while my friend Dr. Armand Ruffer of Alexandria, by his studies 
upon the diseases of mummies of 2000 and more B.C., is preparing the 
way for microscopic investigation into the diseases of preglacial man. 
And if we no longer cast nativities or regard lunatics as influenced by 
our earth’s pale satellite, we still meet with cases of sunstroke and, with 
the astronomer, are interested in the ultra-violet and other rays emanat- 
ing from the sun. There is no science, except pure mathematics, that is 
wholly pure; astronomy, exalted, not to say celestial, as it is, has become 
a mixture of mathematics, optics and physical chemistry. If we in 
medicine depend for illumination upon the data offered by workers in 
many departments of science we are proud of thefact. Weare members 
of no narrow sect, adherents to no one-‘ology’ or ‘pathy.’ We embrace 
every well-established discovery in the whole domain of science, however 
remote it may appear, however recondite, if so be that thereby we are 
aided in our insight into disease and in the alleviation of human suffering. 
And I hope to show you that we are aiding and advancing those other 
sciences. How much we are depending upon them, to what extent 
