RELATION OF PHYSIOLOGY TO MEDICINE. 05 



country the physiologists have annexed to themselves 

 the study of the microscopic structure of the body, 

 besides inventing, in addition, an ultra-microscopic 

 structure. Of the great future science of experimental 

 anatomy only the germs exist at present. Human 

 anatomy behaves as if she had sold her scientific birth- 

 right for a sorry mess of " systematic " pottage. 



Pathological anatomy has, of course, suffered from 

 the same deficiencies as normal anatomy. To many 

 medical men the pathologist is a sinister figure which 

 stalks behind the chaplain and in front of the undertaker, 

 and which is constantly peering over the shoulder of the 

 consultant and whispering suggestions of morbid changes 

 which, like the normal anatomical structure, just come out 

 of the blue, and which hopelessly sentence a patient to 

 death or permanent disability. My intellectual as well 

 as moral sympathies are all with the cheery general 

 practitioner whose motto is " Never say die," and who 

 flashes defiance at this dismal ghost. 



On the side of abnormal function pathology is, of 

 course, quite as active as physiology, but seems to me 

 to suffer grievously from the defects of physiological 

 teaching. For, in the main, experimental pathology 

 sets out with the same limitations that keep the physi- 

 ologist out of contact with practical medical work. 

 When the normal organic regulation of physiological 

 activity is almost ignored by physiology, the pathologist 

 is, of course, diverted from laying his finger on the nature 

 and causes of failure in the regulation and on the processes 

 which lead to the re-establishment of regulation which 

 constitutes recovery or adaptation. 



Let me give one more illustration from my own ex- 



