200 Royal Society. 



second remarkable period of his professional career. The novel and 

 distinguishing feature of this course of lectures consisted in its being 

 founded on pathological anatomy, or the structural changes induced 

 by disease in the several tissues of the body, as auxiliary to the an- 

 cient system of pure symptomatology. To accomplish this object 

 in the most effectual manner. Dr. Thomson had recourse to the aid 

 of the draughtsman, and presented to the eye of the student accurate 

 coloured delineations of morbid appearances, arranged on anatomico- 

 physiological principles, and accompanied by their corresponding 

 histories. The result of this spirited enterprise, prosecuted both 

 abroad and at home during a period of several years, and at a very 

 considerable pecuniary sacrifice, has been a splendid collection of 

 anatomical drawings, surpassing all others at present existing in 

 richness and extent. 



In 1832, a Chair of General Pathology was added to the Univer- 

 sity of Edinburgh, to which endowment the suggestions and the 

 evidence of Dr. Thomson before a commission appointed by Lord 

 Liverpool's government in 1826, materially contributed. The ap- 

 pointment of first professor was conferred upon himself; but the 

 pressure of advanced years and infirm health unfortunately com- 

 pelled his retirement after he had held it for four years. 



At various times Dr. Thomson visited the British metropolis and 

 the continent of Europe, chiefly for the purpose of personally exami- 

 ning their pathological collections ; and after the battle of Waterloo 

 he repaired to Brussels, in order to avail himself of the advantages 

 which were aflbrded on that occasion of examining the nature and 

 treatment of gim-shot wounds and field injuries. The result of his 

 observations he shortly afterwards published in a " Report of the 

 wounded at Waterloo." 



To Dr. Thomson's spirit of independence, not less than to his 

 ardent love of knowledge, the school of Edinburgh is specially in- 

 debted ; for in addition to his active exertions in the foimdation of 

 Professorships, of a museum and of a library, and the establishment 

 of a dispensary for visiting the poor in their own dwellings, he was 

 ever watchful of its interests, and as fearless in denouncing usages 

 which he considered prejudicial as he was prompt in suggesting and 

 earnest in promoting beneficial changes and reforms. To the jea- 

 lousies which are ever engendered by merit, and by attempts at re- 

 form, and to the opposition he encountered from the magisterial 

 authorities of the city, may be ascribed his failure of success when 

 a candidate for the vacant chair of Dr. Gregory, although he was 

 supported by overwhelming testimonials of superior claims from the 

 most eminent medical men thi'oughout Europe ; and the same cause, 

 together with the liberal bias of his political views and opinions, (for 

 though he did not obtrude he never sought to conceal them) will 

 also explain the anomaly, that although no professional opinion 

 was more highly esteemed than his, yet he never attained to ex- 

 traordinary popularity in practice. Some of the prejudices he had to 

 contend against were the fruits of his scrupulous honesty, of the sim- 

 plicity of his mind and manners, and of his hostility to every species 



