552 
NATURE 
[OcTOBER 2, 1902 
were made upon the blackboard and the salient features 
indicated, and in the course of a demonstration six or 
eight specimens might thus be started on the tour of 
inspection. 
Of his pathological work, the earliest was upon vas- 
cular disorders. He was the first to elucidate the true 
nature of phlebitis, thrombosis and embolism, to recog- 
nise the essential features of leukaemia and to distinguish 
this condition from pyzmia, so laying the foundation for 
the brilliant work of Ehrlich and others upon haematology. 
In 1858, his “ Cellular Pathology ” appeared, in which the 
theory that every cell arises from a pre-existing cell was 
enunciated and the cellular derivation of the connective 
tissues, bone and cartilage recognised. Up to this time, 
the humoral theory had dominated medicine, but these 
considerations revolutionised pathology by introducing 
the new conception that all pathological cell-formations 
must arise from pre-existing normal cells. He says in 
his lectures, ‘‘ The question is whether the general types 
which we have established for the physiological tissues 
will also be found to hold good for the pathological ones. 
To this I unreservedly reply, yes ; and however much I 
herein differ from many of my living contemporaries, 
however positively the peculiar (specific) nature of many 
pathological tissues has been insisted upon during the 
last few years, I will nevertheless endeavour to furnish 
you with proofs that every pathological structure has a 
physiological prototype and that no form of morbid 
growth arises which cannot in its elements be traced 
back to some model which had previously maintained an 
independent existence in the economy.” 
Harvey had enunciated the celebrated proposition 
Omne vivum ex ovo, subsequently found to be too 
narrow to apply to all living forms ; to Virchow pathology 
and physiology are indebted for the not less striking 
dictum, Omnis cellula e celluld. By this his name will 
live through the ages. Another great work of his was 
that on tumours, unfortunately never completed. He 
showed that cartilaginous tumours of bone might start 
from islands of cartilage which had remained untrans- 
formed during the general ossifying process, and thus 
gave some support to Cohnheim’s theory of the origin of 
tumours from embryonic remains. He further made 
contributions on tuberculosis and leprosy, trichiniasis, 
hydatid tumours of the liver, lardaceous disease, cholera 
and diphtheria, and animal pigments ; in fact, it is no 
exaggeration to say that there is hardly any subject in 
pathology that has not been illumined by some important 
contribution of his. He was a pathological anatomist 
and histologist rather than an experimental pathologist, 
and pathological bacteriology was of too recent develop- 
inent for him to contribute to it extensively. It is true that 
he made mistakes—he was but mortal ; for example, his 
theory of the dependence of chlorosis upon anatomical de- 
fects in the circulatory organs has been found untenable— 
but he was the first to recognise them, and as often as not 
himself destroyed the fabric he had previously erected. 
Virchow’s fame was world-wide, and honours of all 
kinds were showered upon him. In 1874, he became a 
member of the Royal Academy of Science of Berlin; at 
the centenary of the Institute of France he was made 
a Commander of the Legion of Honour, and the fol- 
lowing year Foreign Associate of the French Academy 
of Sciences. A foreign member of our Royal Society, he 
was Copley medallist in 1892 (an honour he highly 
appreciated) and Croonian lecturer in 1893. The subject 
of his discourse, delivered in English, on this occasion was 
“The Position of Pathology among the Biological 
Sciences” (NATURE, vol. xlvii. p. 487). In 1898, his last 
visit to us, he delivered the Huxley lecture at Charing 
Cross Medical School, and he was afterwards entertained 
at a banquet, at which Lord Lister presided. The title 
of the Huxley lecture was “ Recent Advances in Science 
and their Bearing on Medicine and Surgery,” and to the 
NO. 1718, VOL. 66] 
last he retained his marvellous vitality of mind and kept 
abreast of the most recent advances in pathology. Last 
year, on the occasion of his eightieth birthday, he was the 
recipient of congratulatory addresses from all parts of the 
world, Lord Lister representing the Royal Society and 
other learned bodies of Great Britain and Ireland, and 
his reply, which occupied nearly two hours in delivery 
and was brimful of dates and facts, was given without a 
note. 
His countrymen rightly accorded him a public funeral, 
and representatives of the State, the city, the university 
and of the learned societies accompanied his remains to 
their last resting place. 
Space forbids anything but this brief sketch of Vir- 
chow’s life, but as a writer in the Lance¢ well says, “ His 
active work ceased only with his death, the world’s 
appreciation of his worth remains.” 15, As tel 
THE ABEL FESTIVAL IN CHRISTIANIA. 
HE centenary of the birth of the famous Norwegian 
mathematician Henrik Niels Abel was celebrated 
in Christiania by a festival, or rather a series of festivals, 
which lasted from September 4 to 7, to which delegates 
from all the more important scientific societies and uni- 
versities of the world were invited. The festival aroused 
the interest of the people of Christiania in a very unusual 
degree and, indeed, appeared to be regarded in the light 
of an important national event; the presence of the 
King of Sweden and Norway, who made a _ special 
journey from Stockholm for the purpose, contributed in 
a high degree to emphasise the importance attached to 
the festivities by the whole population of the Norwegian 
capital. The festival was inaugurated by an informal 
reception of the delegates at a supper-party given on the 
evening of September 4 at St. Haushangen, a place of 
popular resort on the outskirts of Christiania. The 
company was received by the famous Arctic explorer, 
Dr. Nansen, president of the reception committee, by 
the Foreign Minister Lagerheim, the Ministers of State 
Blehr and Ovam, the president of the Storthing, and 
Prof. Mohn, president of the Christiania Academy of 
Science. In a bright and genial speech delivered in 
English, Dr. Nansen welcomed the foreign delegates 
and expressed the feeling of pride on the part of his own 
small nation in having through Abel made an impor- 
tant contribution to the essentially international work of 
the development of science and of civilisation. The 
formal part of the festival commenced at noon on 
September 5 in the Hall of the Municipality ; the King 
and his son Prince Eugen arrived shortly after noon, 
and were received by a guard of honour, consisting of 
students of the University of both sexes. The ceremony 
consisted of the performance of a cantata written by the 
celebrated author Bjdrnson, and of speeches which were 
made between the first and second parts of the cantata. 
Speeches were delivered by the Minister of State Blehr 
in French, by Prof. W. C. Brogger in German, and 
on behalf of the delegates by Prof. H. Weber, ot 
Strassburg, and Prof. Volterra, of Rome. A detailed 
appreciation of Abel’s work was given by Prof. L. Sylow. 
In the evening, the delegates had the honour of being 
invited by the King to a reception and supper at the 
Castle, when a large and distinguished company was 
present ; many of the delegates were presented to the 
King, who conversed freely with them in their own 
languages. The second part of the festival was held on 
September 6, at noon, in the Hall of the University, the 
King and Prince Eugen being again present. The pro- 
ceedings commenced with an address in French by 
Prof. Mohn. Speeches were then delivered by Prof. 
Forsyth on behalf of the English-speaking delegates ; 
by Prof. Gravé on behalf of the Slav nations ; by Prof. 
Picard, Prof. Schwarz, Prof. Zeuthen, Prof. Henzel 
