HUNTERIAN ORATION. 31 



ated by violence ; for ensuring their un- 

 varying motionless position, so essential to 

 their tranquillity and re-union ; for sug- 

 gesting and applying suitable means to 

 soothe or correct the morbid actions of 

 susceptible surfaces ; for discriminating the 

 great variety of external local diseases ; 

 and for performing the various and com- 

 plicated operations of surgery ; that it re- 

 quires the whole time and ability of any 

 individual to attain even moderate perfec- 

 tion in this department of medical science. 

 Whilst the no less extensive and impor- 

 tant task of unravelling the intricacies of 

 the symptoms produced by internal dis- 

 eases, so as to trace them to their several 

 sources, and consequently to decide upon 

 their proper treatment ; and of modifying 

 the remedies employed, so as to adapt 

 them to the varieties of circumstances and 

 constitutions; equally demands the con- 

 centrated observation and reflection of the 

 physician. Indeed the division of medi- 

 cine into two principal departments, which 

 custom has established, seems also to have 

 received the fullest sanction of experience ; 

 and if we were not to acquiesce in it, we 

 should subvert the institutions of society, 



