PREFACE 
WHEN, on the 5th of April, 1907, Lord Lister attained his eightieth birthday, 
he was the recipient of many congratulations, not only from his fellow country- 
men, but from representatives of medicine and surgery throughout the world, 
and a unanimous desire was then expressed that some permanent memoria] 
should be instituted of so happy an occasion, and of a life so rich in benefits to 
mankind. 
No memorial seemed more appropriate than a collected edition of his scien- 
tific papers, scattered through many different periodical publications, inasmuch 
as in them are recorded the steps by which the great revolution in surgery with 
which his name will be imperishably associated was brought about, and by 
their perusal succeeding generations may learn at first hand the great principle 
on which that revolution was based. The proposal, it was ascertained, com- 
mended itself to Lord Lister, and the Committee which has prepared these 
volumes for the press has had the inestimable advantage of his guidance and 
advice. 
The two volumes contain all the papers and addresses which he himself 
considers to possess permanent interest and importance ; the omissions in fact 
are few in number, and consist almost solely of addresses on certain official 
occasions dealing with matters of ephemeral or merely local interest. The 
papers have been classified under four general heads, according as they deal with 
Physiology, Pathology and Bacteriology, the Antiseptic System, or General 
Surgery, while various general addresses and lectures are gathered together 
in a fifth part. In arranging the several papers in each Part chronological 
order has generally been followed. 
The Committee has thought it well to preface the text of the papers and 
