One of the chief aims of the Medical Bacteriological 

 Laboratory from the first day of its establishment- 

 now nearly twenty years ago has been to impress 

 upon the University of Copenhagen the importance of ge- 

 neral pathology as a special branch of study. It has tried 

 its best to raise the necessary funds and to start teaching 

 within the limits of its means and appliances. This is, by 

 no means, the first time that I have publicly expressed my 

 opinion with regard to this matter. So I may perhaps be 

 allowed, by way of an introduction, to quote from the 

 ,,Tidskrift for praktisk Medicin" 1 ) the concluding part of 

 an address 1 delivered at a medical congress held in 

 Copenhagen in 1888. 



General pathology! This Cinderella among uni- 

 versity subjects that, at most European universities, 

 has no dwelling of her own, being obliged to seek 

 shelter now at the house of therapeutics, now with 

 pathological anatomy, now in the splendid palaces 

 of hygiene, general pathology who has known better 

 days! There was a time when it filled the post of 

 honour, when people were foolish enough to be con- 

 tent with driving its principles into the students cli- 

 nical instruction being almost nil. Justice was done 

 to clinical subjects at last; they obtained the position 

 they ought always to have occupied. For several 

 years they have, no doubt greatly to the benefit of 



