The History and Progress of the Sir Erasmus Wilson 



Chair of Pathology from the time of its 



foundation to the present date* 



FOR several years previous to the foundation of the Chair, 

 it was felt that one of the main drawbacks to the 

 reputation of the Aberdeen curriculum was the want of 

 systematized teaching in Pathology. Many of the members of 

 the Medical Faculty, and to their praise be it recorded, several 

 of the oldest members, had long recognised this defect. The 

 perfunctory manner in which the subject had been tagged on to 

 the courses of Practice of Physic and Surgery, was, to say 

 the least of it, unsatisfactory. 



Doubtless a certain amount of instruction in morbid anatomy 

 was to be had from the pathologist to the Royal Infirmary, 

 but when one calls to remembrance the disadvantageous 

 circumstances under which the casual demonstrations were 

 conducted, the wonder is that they were attended even in the 

 somewhat desultory manner which marked their career. 



Germany and France were far in advance ot Great Britain 

 in this respect. They possessed, and had possessed for years. 

 Chairs of Pathology not only in their large centres of medical 

 education, but in every small University town, and were 

 attracting all our best young graduates bent on acquiring the 

 knowledge which was denied them in the schools of our 



