TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION I. 797 



youna: man, he was called to the chair of Anatomy and Physiolofry at Berlin, -which 

 had iiist become vacant by the death of his master and friend, Kudolphi. Sharpey, 

 on tlie otber hand, occupied himself until 1829 with perfecting both bis general 

 and his special anatomical education. It was not until 1830 that he published his 

 first essay in anatomical and physiological research entitled 'On a Peculiar Motion 

 excited in Fluids by the Surlaces of Certain Animals' — observations which were 

 preliminary to the discovery of the existence of cilia in vertebrates. And it was 

 not until 18.3G that he was called to the newly instituted professorship of Anatomy 

 and Physiology in University College, Loudon, which be filled for so many years 

 with such signal success. Both of these distinguished men owed, there is no doubt, 

 their success as teachers of Physiology to their early anatomical training. Thegeneral 

 anatomical bent of Johannes Miiller is evidenced by the fact of his scientific work 

 beingturned so much in thedirection of Comparative Anatomy and Physiology. And 

 Sharpey, although great, and deservedly great, as a teacher of Physiology, remained 

 to his dying day, above all, an anatomist. Physiologists of this school are rare at 

 the present day ; but it is probable that in some respects the progress of Physiology 

 may suffer thereby. Helmholtz began his public career as professor of Anatomy ; but 

 it would be unfair to attach too much weight to this particular incident in the case 

 of so manj'-sided a man as the great Berlin Professor of Physics. Nevertheless, the 

 necessity of a close and careful training in Anatomy for those who are afterwards 

 to work at or to teach Physiology is so important that I do not hesitate to say that 

 the 3'ounger physiologists who neglect the study of Anatomy will find that before 

 very long they must abandon the pursuit of many byways of Physiology which 

 might otherwise be followed up with manifest advantage. 



The influence of Johannes Miiller upon the revival of the pursuit of Scientific 

 Physiology in Germany, and indeed generally, cannot be overestimated. We 

 have only to look at the names and eminence of his pupils in order to recognise 

 the immense influence which his teaching has exerted upon the progress of Physio- 

 logy ever since his time. Some of these pupils are still amongst us, others have 

 joined the majority. But the pupils of these men, again, are now great names in 

 "many departments of our science, and through them we cannot fail to recognise the 

 influence which was exerted by this truly great man. 



We may say the same in almost identical words of William Sharpey. The 

 practical pursuit of Physiology in this country has mainly radiated from the centre 

 where Sharpey taught. Michael Foster was his pupil. The physiological investiga- 

 tions of Burdon-Sanderson were assisted and encouraged by him. From Sharpey, 

 therefore, we may trace the rise of the great school of Physiology at Cambridge, 

 and wo have only to look at the magnificent laboratory which has been erected 

 here to observe a monument of the influence of the same teacher. And there have 

 emanated either directly from the physiological school established by Sharpey at 

 University College, or indirectly from those at Cambridge and Oxford, many of the 

 most active teachers and workers in Physiology in the kingdom. 



In these respects there is much in common between the revival of Physiology 

 in Germany and in this countrj'. In other respects, however, the two cases have 

 been entirely under ditterent conditions. There its revival, in common with 

 that of science generally, has been assisted and stimulated by the active and 

 beneficent co-operation of every German State. Here, also in common with 

 science generally, it has had to make its way against every conceivable obstacle ; 

 and almost without assistance, either moral or material, from the Government or 

 from public bodies. But not onlj^ has it not met with assistance, there have been, 

 actual obstacles placed in the way of teaching and work in Physiojfigy. Some have 

 been unintentional, others intentional. As an instance of the unintentional may 

 be mentioned the practice which has obtained in medical schools and on examining 

 boards — a practice which, I am happy to say, is gradually being discarded — of 

 appointing as teachers and examiners in Phj'siology men who may have a good 

 general knowledge of the science, yet with whom it is not the business of their lives, 

 and who cannot, therefore, be expected to be as familiar with its details, and as 

 absorbed in its interests, as those who devote their entire time and attention to its 

 pursuit. 



