viii Obituary Notices of Fellows deceased. 



possibility that the origin of the infection was bacterial in its nature was 

 scarcely recognised by pathologists. In 1869 Sanderson's mental attitude 

 as to the causative factors of contagious diseases was one which distinctly 

 foreshadowed the views held at the present day. Alluding to the difficulties 

 'which were brought forward, he states explicitly that, as regards the most 

 important of them, they disappear "if we suppose that the contagious 

 process is connected with the unfolding of organic forms." At that time 

 stress was laid upon chemical aspects of these pathological processes irre- 

 spective of their biological significance ; Burdon-Sanderson, however, recog- 

 nised the profound importance of these hypothetical micro-organisms. Thus, 

 he states, with regard to such processes, that " it is difficult to see how 

 the phenomena could be accounted for by their chemical properties, whereas 

 there is good and scientific ground for anticipating that the solution of the 

 problem will some day be attained by the investigation of the morphological 

 phenomena which attend the infective process." A characteristic expression 

 of his belief in the experimental method, as the instrument for furthering 

 our knowledge of the subject, occurs in the sentence, " I am strongly 

 impressed with the conviction that, if the investigation is to be successful, 

 it must be experimental in every stage of its progress." In this, as in 

 general pathology and physiology, he took up the attitude that the experi- 

 mental study of the processes, normal and abnormal, indicated the sole 

 course which could be steered, if the navigator would avoid shipwreck, upon 

 the numerous rocks and shoals which beset this difficult and little known 

 region. 



The extent to which the value of this pathological work was recognised by 

 his contemporaries is shown by the appreciative language of eminent 

 scientific men. Thus, in 1870, Huxley drew attention to it in the remark- 

 able address entitled " Biogenesis and Abiogenesis," which he delivered as 

 President of the British Association. In this he pointed out that the report 

 of Mr. Simon, the Medical Officer to the Privy Council, contained in an 

 appendix a most valuable essay " On the Intimate Pathology of Contagion," 

 by Dr. Burdon-Sanderson, " which," he went on to say, " is one of the 

 clearest, most comprehensive, and well-reasoned discussions of a great 

 question which has come under my notice for a long time." 



In 1873 Burdon-Sanderson appears to have been firmly convinced that 

 living forms were in reality the causal infective agents, and, as regards these 

 forms, he stoutly opposed those who advocated the theory of spontaneous 

 generation. At this time he was Professor Superintendent of the Brown 

 Institute, a post which he held for seven years, from 1871 to 1878. One of 

 the most suggestive of the many fruitful ideas which abound in this 

 prolonged inquiry into infectious diseases occurs in this period, when, in 

 concluding a report upon the nature of anthrax, he brought forward 

 experimental evidence showing that the passage of anthrax virus derived 

 from the ox through the bodies of guinea-pigs diminished its virulence for 

 the bovine species. In concluding a report on this and allied subjects, 



