SICKNESS AND SUFFERING. 149 



was shrunk in features, worn in body, shattered in 

 nerves, and almost a helpless invalid. Professor 

 Edward Forbes, on his deathbed, said the Bailies of 

 of Edinburgh, in forcing him to lecture immediately 

 on his appointment to Jameson's Chair, had killed the 

 goose that laid the golden eggs ; and under circum- 

 stances almost as pressing and destructive of health, 

 Goodsir, occupying the same chair pro tempore, was 

 sacrificed beyond the power of restoration. 



At no time was Goodsir so strong in health as he 

 appeared; he suffered from cynanche tonsillaris, dys- 

 pepsia, boils, and impaired strength caused by incessant 

 labour and neglect of the most common hygiene. On 

 one of his summer visits to the writer in 1850, and after 

 spending a day in examining the estuary of the Solway, 

 he felt numbness and coldness of the extremities and 

 general depression. This seems to have been the ear- 

 liest manifestation of his disease. As years rolled on, 

 the movements of his lower limbs were visibly affected ; 

 there was occasional stumbling, difficulty of going down 

 stairs, and want of power in balancing himself, especially 

 in the dark, when his eyes had nothing to rest upon. 

 Now and then he suffered from neuralgia. These phy- 

 edca! ailments were increased by any mental disturbance, 

 and troubles of all kinds induced great irritability of 

 manner and feeling. 1 1 < • persisted in work, and spurned 

 every friendly advice till L853, when lie himself came 

 to recognise the need of resl and a sojourn on the Con 

 (iiinii. In Augusl of bhat year be wen! to WiLdbad 

 in the Black Forest, and placed himself under the care 



