90 goodsir's observations. 



recombination, or multiplication of cells ; and Comte, 

 rising with his philosophy still higher, found in the 

 life of the single cell a type and the source of not only 

 the functions of individual man, but also of the grand 

 etre — humanity. Even the lover of the sesthetical, 

 struck by the histological elements, both in their origin 

 and coalesced functions, glorified them into a form of 

 beauty charmingly consonant with his beau ideal of 

 life, and his higher aspirations towards the primitive 

 aesthetic standard. Goodsir, no less speculative than 

 scientific, was not the least conspicuous supporter of 

 the new doctrines that bid fair, at one time, to make 

 the cell the whole science of life. 



Of the lectures delivered in the theatre of the Koyal 

 College of Surgeons in the summer of 1842 and winter 

 1842-43, a portion was devoted to the considera- 

 tion of practical subjects — ex. gr. surgical pathology ; 

 another portion embraced anatomical and physiological 

 questions of current or rather special interest to the 

 younger members of his audience, and were afterwards 

 woven into a work—" Anatomical and Pathological 

 Observations," (vide vol. ii. p. 387). The prominent 

 doctrines enunciated by Goodsir in these lectures mainly 

 rested on the existence of centres of force connected 

 with the nutritive and reproductive changes in the 

 normal and pathological processes. The term " centres 

 of nutrition," or " germinal centres," as employed by 

 him, obviously possessed a similar signification to that 

 which at this time is attached by Dr. Beale to his 

 " germinal matter," and by various anatomists of the 



