XX 



Obituary Notices of Fellows deceased. 



This short sketch will give some idea of the great work which Lister 

 carried out and which has completely revolutionised surgery. He had the 

 great good fortune to live to see his views universally accepted and the 

 revolution completely accomplished, and those who were associated with him 

 well know the great joy which it was to him to realise the enormous saving 

 of life and diminution of suffering which resulted from his work. But 

 although he had this supreme satisfaction he still remained to the last the 

 modest man which he was at the beginning, always ready to accept anything 

 which seemed likely to improve matters and to listen to and ponder over the 

 views of others. Perhaps he was too ready to accept the work of others, 

 only to find when put to a thorough test that it failed and had to be 

 abandoned ; this was especially the case in his search for more satisfactory 

 and less irritating bactericides. More than once he announced to his class 

 that such and such a surgeon had discovered the ideal antiseptic, only to find 

 on thorough examination that it was not so. 



Lister's patience and industry were extraordinary, indeed without these 

 qualities he could not have carried out his work. From early morning till 

 late at night he was always at work, patiently testing his conclusions, trying 

 new plans and materials with the view of improving and simplifying his 

 methods, looking after his patients, teaching his students and explaining his 

 views to the visitors who crowded his lectures. 'As a teacher he was 

 unrivalled. His diction was clear and simple, he gave his reasons fully for 

 everything which he did, his lectures were thoughtful and made his hearers 

 think, and his earnestness was inspiring. He did not teach the students to 

 pass examinations, he taught them to think, he inspired them with high 

 ideals, and those who had the honour and good fortune to work with him 

 worshipped him and humbly set themselves to follow his example. 



One of his great characteristics was his conscientiousness. He never 

 acted on impulse, but always carefully considered any step he took. This 

 is very evident in his scientific work, as a study of his writings will show. 

 He made rapid deductions, but he tested them and considered them care- 

 fully before they took a place in the edifice which he was building, and he 

 was always open-minded and ready to modify or abandon his positions 

 if they proved to be wrong. In his private life, and in his dealings with 

 patients, his conscientiousness was always in evidence. The advice which 

 he gave was always the result of careful deliberation, and the welfare and 

 comfort of his patients, whether private or hospital, were his first care. 

 He spent a great deal of time in his hospital work, not only in dressing and 

 making observations on the cases, but in seeing that every detail in the 

 treatment was thoroughly carried out and that the patients were made as 

 comfortable as possible. If a patient complained that a bandage was too tight 

 or that his dressing was uncomfortable he would stop and rectify it himself, 

 no matter what other engagements he had made. As a result he was often 

 unpunctual in keeping his engagements. His humanity and his desire to 

 benefit his fellow men, whether medically or financially, were very striking 



