94 THE BIOLOGY OF DAILY LIFE. 



CHAPTEK VII. 



HOW THE THREE DESIDERATA OF THE CELEBRATED 

 PHYSICIAN SYDENHAM HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED AFTER 

 TWO HUNDRED YEARS OF WAITING. 



THE illustrious Sydenham, after whom some of 

 the most learned of our medical societies delight to 

 name themselves,* has somewhere spoken of three 

 things which were still wanting in his day, and much 

 to be desired. The third of these especially he would, 

 he declared, hail with enthusiasm.t 



Two hundred years have rolled away since the death 

 of that great physician, and Sydenham's desiderata are 

 practically things still wanting in all medical teaching. 

 If the spirit of that great man now survives amongst 

 medical men, how gladly would they like him bring 

 eager assent and joyous acceptance to greet one, 

 through whom these long-sought and most desirable 

 things have at last been discovered, and offered to all 

 who will avail themselves of the benefit. 



These desiderata are : 



1. An account of diseases, true in description, and 



* The Sydenham Society, instituted 1843, and the New Syd. 

 Society, 1858. 



t His words are : " Jam vero si quserat aliquis an ad praedicta 

 in Arte Medica desiderata duo (veram scilicet et genuinam 

 morborum Historiam, et certam confirmatamque Medendi 

 Methodum) noil etiam accedat tertium illud, remediorum 

 nempe Specificorum inventio ; assentientem me habet et in 

 vota festinantem (Praef. Ed. Tert., Observ. Med. Syd. Om. 

 Oper.^.lS). 



