October i i, 1900] 



NATURE 



57 



medical academics, it would appear at least probable that 

 these opening addresses, actuated, as they certainly are, 

 by a perpetually similar motive, would be in imminent 

 danger of suffering from a monotony almost approaching 

 boredom. Medicine, however, and its allied sciences are 

 never at rest, and the constant change in them from year to 

 year forms an almost inexhaustible subject-matter at once 

 interesting to the initiated, and stimulating to the novice. 

 The latter learns, as a rule even in his first lecture, that 

 in embracing medicine as his profession he has not to 

 tread a rigid scholastic entity, but to pick a somewhat 

 circuitous way over a plastic science, which is capable and 

 willing to receive the intellectual footprints of all who are 

 strong enough to impress them. 



The third Huxley lecture was delivered this year by 

 Lord Lister, and the authorities of Charing Cross Hos- 

 pital are to congratulated upon having heard one of the 

 most interesting discourses which it will probably ever 

 be their lot to listen to. Although none of us can for any 

 length of time forget the scientific work for which Lord 

 Lister is celebrated, perhaps few of us are cognisant of 

 his early researches, which, indeed, although perhaps to 

 the superficial observer remote from his later work, 

 according to him— and what better authority can we want 

 — led up to it. All those who have the opportunity of read- 

 ing this address in exienso should do so ; it forms another 

 of the many instances of how work of a more or less 

 erudite character led up to results most emphatically 

 utilitarian. This should be remembered and taken to 

 heart by those in authority who are apt to look askance 

 at work, whatever it may cost in the way of perse- 

 verance or intellectual effort, which is not immediately 

 productive of utilitarian result. 



At the relatively new School of Tropical Medicine, Sir 

 W. MacGregor delivered an inaugural address, taking 

 for his subject some problems of tropical medicine. An 

 interesting point in his discourse was the importance 

 he attached to the study of dysentery. According to 

 him, epidemic dysentery is a scourge of tremendous 

 magnitude, carrying off in some cases 50 to 75 per 

 cent, of the labourers upon certain plantations in Poly- 

 nesia. His concluding remarks were directed to malaria, 

 and he emphasised in this connection the importance 

 of investigating certain equine maladies on the West 

 Coast of Africa, apparently of a malarial type. 



At University College an inaugural lecture was 

 delivered by Dr. Vivian Poore upon science and prac- 

 tice. The lecturer addressed himself mainly to those 

 students who were actually beginning the study of 

 medicine as distinct from the so-called elementary 

 medical sciences. He warned his hearers against 

 adopting the view that all that could not be submitted 

 to laboratory methods was ipso facto not scientific, and 

 in this connection drew attention to certain discoveries 

 made by physicians by mere observation, which were 

 from the highest standpoint scientific. Many facts, 

 although explained by bacteriological research, had 

 been discovered by physicians by methods which were 

 purely clinical. Dr. Poore finally pointed out the ad- 

 vantages that should accrue to the students at University 

 College Hospital from the reconstruction it was under- 

 going, and also how the reconstitution of the University 

 of London might be expected to affect the medical 

 lectureships in the metropolis. 



King's College Hospital began the medical session by 

 an old students' dinner, at which Sir John Cockburn 

 presided. The speeches which ensued, although limited, 

 were mainly directed to two subjects, the share which 

 has been taken by the staff in the surgical work in South 

 Africa, and the manner in which the school had been 

 improved during the past year by the establishment of 

 largely increased laboratory accommodation and new 

 lectureships, special reference being made to the subject 

 of pharmacology. 



NO. 16 1 5, VOL. 62] 



At the inaugural dinner at Guy's considerable interest 

 was attached to Mr. Fripp's speech, which dealt with the- 

 work done by the Imperial Yeomanry Hospital in South' 

 Africa. This hospital had broken a deal of new ground,, 

 and many in a position to judge of the organisation and 

 management of hospitals had expressed the hope that 

 from the demonstration which it had been enabled to 

 give of the way that modern scientific methods could be 

 introduced into the service of the sick and wounded in 

 the time of war, reorganisation of military hospitals upon 

 the lines of the large civil institutions might be effected. 



The medical session at St. Thomas's was opened by 

 Sir William MacCormac. In the course of his remarks 

 Sir William pointed out that the present time was a 

 favourable one for entering the medical profession, as- 

 London was about to have a great university in reality, 

 and not one in name only, and also that the supply of 

 medical men was not keeping pace with the increase in 

 the population, as shown by the list of medical students 

 entered on the rolls of the General Medical Council. 



At St. Mary's Hospital the introductory lecture was 

 delivered by Mr. Stansfield Collier upon the future of 

 the medical student. At the London School of Medi- 

 cine for Women Mr. Aldrich Blake addressed the 

 students. The subject-matter of both these lectures con- 

 sisted mainly of advice to the student with regard to the 

 mental habits he should cultivate in approaching his 

 work. An interesting lecture was delivered at the Royal 

 Veterinary College by Prof. MacFadyean. According to 

 the lecturer, the century approaching its conclusion em- 

 braces practically the whole history of the veterinary 

 profession in Great Britain. One hundred years ago 

 the Royal Veterinary College was only in the tenth year 

 of its existence, and since then great changes had come 

 over veterinary opinions and practice. With regard to 

 the progress that had been made concerning the causes 

 of disease, glanders and tuberculosis were taken as types. 

 As recently as twenty years ago the opinion that tuber- 

 culosis was an extremely hereditary disease was universal 

 among veterinary surgeons, and it was only within the 

 last decade that the erroneousness of this view had been 

 generally recognised. Discoveries which threw light on 

 the cause and nature of maladies necessarily influenced 

 methods of treatment and prevention, and the past cen- 

 tury had witnessed great changes in the means adopted 

 to counteract disease. As an instance of this, the almost 

 complete extent to which bleeding has become obsolete 

 may be given. Firing and blistering, although still ex- 

 tensively used, were employed now with more discrimi- 

 nation than formerly, and it seemed upon insufficient 

 evidence. 



The inaugural address in the medical faculty of the 

 University of Birmingham was delivered by Prof. Windle, 

 who chose for his theme the very appropriate one of 

 the needs, aspirations and ideals of the Birmingham' 

 Medical School. Those who have carefully followed the 

 stages in the development of the great Midland Uni-^ 

 versity will not have failed to observe that the mairt 

 spirit which actuated it when it was, so to speak, on. 

 paper, and will continue to guide and distinguish it when 

 architects' plans have been replaced by well-equipped 

 laboratories, is the spirit of scientific research. It will 

 be a great centre for teaching students how to prosecute 

 research in all branches of technical industry. The 

 generous manner in which land has been given by Lord 

 Calthorpe and funds have been supplied by the wealthy 

 citizens of Birmingham has secured opportunities for 

 this purpose, which, when the whole is complete, will 

 probably be unrivalled. Such opportunities are certain 

 to attract students, and especially medical students. It 

 is to be hoped that what is being done at Birmingham 

 will stimulate the formation and endowment of labora- 

 tories at the London schools, which, if they wish to. 

 attract the mass of students they have done in the past,. 



