IMPORT OF THE CELL-THEORY. 29 



however, has done for histology, has as yet been but in 

 a very slight degree built up and developed for pathology, 

 and it may be said that nothing has penetrated less 

 deeply into the minds of all than the cell-theory in its 

 intimate connection with pathology. 



If we consider the extraordinary influence which Bichat 

 in his time exercised upon the state of medical opinion, 

 it is indeed astonishing that such a relatively long period 

 should have elapsed since Schwann made his great dis- 

 coveries, without the real importance of the new facts 

 having been duly appreciated. This has certainly been 

 essentially due to the great incompleteness of our know- 

 ledge with regard to the intimate structure of our tissues 

 which has continued to exist until quite recently, and, as 

 we are sorry to be obliged to confess, still even now 

 prevails with regard to many points of histology to such 

 a degree, that we scarcely know in favour of what view 

 to decide. 



Especial difficulty has been found in answering the 

 question, from what parts of the body action really pro- 

 ceeds what parts are active, what passive ; and yet it is 

 already quite possible to come to a definitive conclusion 

 upon this point, even in the case of parts the structure 

 of which is still disputed. The chief point in this appli- 

 cation of histology to pathology is to obtain a recognition 

 of the fact, that the cell is really the ultimate morpholo- 

 gical element in which there is any manifestation of life, 

 and that we must not transfer the seat of real action to 

 any point beyond the cell. Before you, I shall have no 

 particular reason to justify myself, if in this respect I 

 make quite a special reservation in favour of life. In the 

 course of these lectures you will be able to convince 

 yourselves that it is almost impossible for any one to 

 entertain more mechanical ideas in particular instances 

 than I am wont to do, when called upon to interpret the 



