December y, 1905J 



NA TV RE 



1 29 



with the fundamental characters of those elementary 

 processes which are displayed by the excitable tissues 

 of both animals and plants when their activities are 

 aroused by definite stimulation; he thus returned to 

 the topic which had attracted him during his student 

 life at Edinburgh. The published researches of his 

 later years on this subject have become models for 

 all subsequent work, commanding admiration on 

 account of the completeness of their design, and 

 carrying conviction through the security of their 

 foundation, which rests on the solid ground of 

 mensurable records. The electromotive phenomena 

 displayed by active tissues appeared to him to furnish 

 the most trustworthy of such records, provided that 

 appropriate instrumental methods were employed in 

 their investigation ; these he made every effort to 

 utilise, and for this end he introduced into physio- 

 logical method the recording capillary electrometer. 

 His publications on the electromotive phenomena of 

 the beating heart, on similar phenomena in the ex- 

 citable leaves of the Dionasa plant, in voluntary 

 muscle, in the electrical organs of fishes, &c, are 

 examples of his activity in this field. 



In the last year of his life he was still engaged 

 upon this engrossing subject, and was planning and 

 supervising investigations for the further elucidation 

 of the electromotive phenomena present in muscle 

 when thrown reflexly into activity. This piece of 

 work, and others on various subjects of like nature, 

 remain in an unfinished state, but, though fragmen- 

 tarv, they are so suggestive that it may be hoped 

 they will be included in a future collection of his 

 numerous scientific papers. 



In conclusion, reference must be made to that com- 

 manding influence which true greatness exerts over 

 ether scientific workers, moulding their thought, 

 stimulating their powers, and enriching their lives. 

 The factors which contribute to the wielding of this 

 influence defy precis' 1 definition, since, apart from 

 acknowledged achievement in science, their essence is 

 to be sought for in certain mental, moral, and 

 physical qualities. In Burdon-Sanderson's case con- 

 spicuous traits stamped him as a leader of men, for 

 his inspiring personality, his extraordinary charm of 

 manner, and his wonderfully expressive face made a 

 profound impression even on those whom he casually 

 met. But his students, using the term in its largest 

 sense, were conscious that the real impression made 

 upon them was the work of more potent factors ; his 

 courtesy to even the humblest worker, the sympathetic 

 interest with which he followed all experimental 

 work, the breadth of his view, the profundity of his 

 knowledge, ever placed ungrudgingly at the disposal 

 of everyone who sought his help, the genuine 

 character of his devotion to scientific truth, and the 

 unwavering firmness with which he advocated the use 

 of experimental methods. All these combined to 

 attract and hold the younger physiologists and 

 pathologists, and since they realised that it was a 

 delight to him to mix with younger men the influence 

 he exerted was profound. He often expressed his 

 intense satisfaction at the vast change of which he 

 had been a witness, a change which has in thirty 

 years advanced British physiology and pathology into 

 the first rank. The name of Burdon-Sanderson will 

 be permanently associated with this extraordinary 

 advance, for it is generally recognised that by work, 

 example, and precept he has contributed in a very 

 special degree towards the creation in this country 

 of that vigorous band of workers who have given 

 English medical science such a wide reputation. 



F. G. 



NO. 1884, VOL J$] 



ANNIVERSARY MEETING OF THE ROYAL 

 SOCIETY. 



'PHE anniversary meeting of the Royal Society 

 *■ was held on Thursday, November 30, when the 

 report of the council was presented, the president 

 delivered his address, and the new council already 

 announced (p. 33), for the year 1906, was elected. 

 In the evening the anniversary dinner was held at 

 the Hotel Metropole, Lord Rayleigh, the newly- 

 elected president, being- in the chair. 



The report of the council refers, among other 

 subjects, to the Royal Society Catalogue of Scientific 

 Papers, the International Catalogue of Scientific 

 Literature, the Meteorological Office, tropical diseases, 

 Antarctic work, seismology, the International Geo- 

 detic Association, Indian Trigonometrical Survey, 

 Astrographic Chart, and the National Physical Labora- 

 tory. A few matters recorded in the report have not 

 been announced or described in these columns, and 

 may therefore be mentioned here. 



At the beginning of August, the Treasury expressed 

 willingness to place on the estimates a sum not ex- 

 ceeding 200L as an annual national contribution 

 toward the expenses of the central bureau of the 

 International Seismic Organisation should the 

 adhesion of Great Britain to the international scheme 

 be agreed to. On November 2, the council, having 

 received a report on the subject from the Society's 

 seismological committee, agreed to recommend that 

 H.M. Government should join the organisation, 

 and advised that Prof. Schuster be appointed the 

 representative of this country to the organisation. 

 The Treasury has agreed to the continuation by Great 

 Britain of its adherence to the Geodetic Convention 

 of 1895 for a further period of ten years from January 

 1, 1907, and to a payment during that period of an 

 annual subscription of 6000 marks. Also, at the 

 instance of the Royal Society, the Treasury has under- 

 taken that one-half the cost of printing the British 

 section of the International Astrographic Catalogue 

 executed under Prof. Turner's direction, within a 

 limit of 1000/., shall be met from public funds. 



The report of the council concludes with an expres- 

 sion of appreciation of Sir William Huggins's services 

 to the Society during the live years in which he held 

 the office of president, and the announcement that 

 Lord Rayleigh had accepted nomination as his suc- 

 cessor. 



In his presidential address, Sir William Huggins 

 dwelt upon the influence which discoveries of science 

 have had upon the general life and thought of the 

 world, especially during the past fifty years, and the 

 place that science should take in general education. 

 Some extracts from the address are subjoined : — 



The influence of science during the last fifty years has 

 been in the direction of bringing out and developing the 

 powers and freedom of the individual, under the stimulation 

 of great ideas. To become all that we can become as 

 individuals is our most glorious birthright, and only as 

 we realise it do we become, at the same time, of great 

 price to the community. From individual minds are born 

 all great discoveries and revolutions of thought. New ideas 

 may be in the air and more or less present in many minds, 

 but it is always an individual who at the last takes the 

 creative step and enriches mankind with the living germ- 

 thought of a new era of opinion. 



All influences, therefore, and especially all laws and 

 institutions which tend to lose the individual in the crowd, 

 and bring down the exceptional to the level of the average, 

 are contrary to the irresistible order of nature, and can 

 lead only to disaster in the individual and in the State. 



I should not omit to mention the marvellous secondary 

 effects of scientific discoveries upon the mental progress of 



