IX 



Before he proceeded to the M.D. degree, at which he obtained the 

 Cold Medal, he had been appointed by the Treasurer as a Super- 

 numerary Resident Medical Officer, with special charge of the lunatic 

 patients, who at that time occupied a department of the Hospital. 

 For about nine years he seems to have been employed every day, and 

 almost all day long, in the medical wards, acquiring by constant and 

 close observation that familiarity with every variety of disease which 

 afterwards stood him in such good stead. 



In 1843 he received his first appointment in the Medical School, 

 that of Lecturer on Natural Philosophy, and three years later wa 

 transferred to the Chair of Physiology. 



For three years, from 1847 to 1849, he was also Professor of Phy- 

 siology in the Royal Institution. 



In 1848 he married, and in 1851 he was appointed Assistant 

 Physician to Guy's Hospital. In 1858 he was promoted to be full 

 Physician, and for several years lectured on medicine with the late 

 Dr. Owen Rees, also a Fellow of this Society, who died only a few 

 months before Sir William Gull, after an illness of almost exactly the 

 same nature and the same duration. 



Very early in his career Dr. Gull obtained a large practice. His 

 natural sagacity, his unusually large experience, his knowledge of 

 disease and his knowledge of mankind, all combined in his favour. 

 His striking physiognomy, his gravity and self-possession, his power 

 of sympathy, and the well-chosen words in which he delivered his 

 opinions fitted him to gain the confidence of his patients. But, 

 apart from his remarkable practical skill, he showed a true scientific 

 spirit in dealing with disease. He was unwearied in patient investi- 

 gation, sparing no time where it was needful, although he wisely 

 would refuse to trouble himself or his patient with minute collateral 

 enquiries when once the essential nature of the case was apparent. 

 He was never satisfied with the commonplace explanations which too 

 often do duty for science, or the commonplace prescriptions which 

 too often do duty for treatment. He had so thorough a knowledge of 

 medicine that he would have been successful in spite of every per- 

 sonal defect, and his skill in dealing with patients was so consum- 

 mate that he would have been successful if he had been ignorant of 

 his profession. 



In 1871 a severe attack of enteric fever from which the Prince of 

 Wales suffered brought Dr. Gull's name into public notice, and his 

 services were acknowledged by a Baronetcy, with a grant of Arms. 



After his retirement from hospital practice, Sir William Gull did 

 not allow his enormous consulting practice to absorb his energies or 

 his interest. Few men have practised a lucrative profession with loss 

 eagerness to grasp at its pecuniary rewards. He kept up the honour- 

 able standard of generosity to poor patients which has been handed 



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