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THE BIRTH AND GROWTH OF 

 SCIENCE IN MEDICINE. 



Mr. President and Fellows, — 



A Harveian orator, in choosing the subject of his 

 discourse, hesitates between two paths. He may seek to 

 elucidate some point in the founder's Hfe or work which 

 has escaped the notice of previous orators, or he may take 

 some wider theme and speak of the spirit in which Harvey 

 carried on his labours. I have not the knowledge to 

 attempt the first of these alternatives, and when. Sir, you 

 did me the great honour of nomination as this year's 

 orator, it was clear to me that I must adopt the second. 

 Many of my predecessors in the office have been more 

 distinguished pathologists than I am, but I believe that 

 this is the first occasion on which the honour has been 

 conferred upon one who is not engaged in ordinary 

 medical practice, but is a pathologist by profession. I 

 have to thank you, Sir, not only on my own behalf, but 

 even more in the name of the subject which, in all 

 humilit}', I represent. 



The Harveian orator is enjoined to commemorate 

 the various benefactors of the College, but considerable 

 latitude is by custom allowed him as to the manner in 

 which he fulfils this duty. Our College is rich in former 

 gifts of books, pictures, silver and other valuable and 

 beautiful possessions ; our endowments in houses and 

 lands enable the Foundation to carry out its work with 

 ampler means. To all those who have conferred such 

 benefactions upon the College our grateful thanks are 

 due, and if to-day I do not formally recite the long list 

 I 



