xi 



varJy part of his medical life to the study of pathology, in which he 

 became most proficient. The greater part of his work was published 

 in the ' Transactions of the Pathological Society.' His communica- 

 tions are enriched by illustrations ; the drawing being the work of 

 his own hand, and some of the microscopic plates are exceedingly 

 beautiful. All his communications were of great value, as they 

 always added considerably to the knowledge of the subject then 

 current. Although he made no great original discovery by which 

 his name could be attached to a particular disease, yet he did 

 much more than man}' that have thus become immortalised by 

 enriching a large number of subjects by his skilful hand and clear 

 understanding. 



In 1876 a London publisher, seeing there was much need of a 

 work on medicine, applied to Dr. Bristowe as the man most capable 

 of undertaking a work involving a knowledge of the whole range 

 of subjects required. He fulfilled his task, and produced a large 

 volume on the ' Theory and Practice of Medicine.' This was at 

 once received by the profession as a treatise of the highest excel- 

 lence, and became a text-book for students. So conscientious was 

 the author that, in order to make the work entirely his own, and 

 as practical as possible, he became for some time a diligent student 

 at Bethlem. He was thus enabled to write his chapter on insanity 

 ironi personal knowledge, and produced an essay on the subject of 

 the first order. It may be added that Dr. Bristowe was espe- 

 cially inclined towards the study of nervous diseases, and conse- 

 quently his chapters on these affections are amongst the best in his 

 treatise, and equal to any that can be found in ordinary English 

 works. Every subject which he took up he studied thoroughly, so 

 that had he wished he might have become a specialist in many 

 departments, as for example that of skin diseases, of which he had 

 a remarkable knowledge. 



He delivered lectures at the College of Physicians and at various 

 societies, and he did excellent work for the Privy Council Office, 

 Sir John Simon having the highest opinion of his scientific power. 

 We may mention amongst the subjects which he investigated, that 

 of phosphorus poisoning, cattle plague, and the sanitary state of 

 English hospitals ; the report on the latter subject, made in con- 

 junction with Mr. Holmes, becoming a standard of reference. He 

 was indeed a great authority on sanitary matters, having been one 

 of the first medical officers of health appointed in London ; an office 

 which he retained until his death, forty years afterwards. 



Amongst a great number of collateral subjects which interested 

 him was that of speech, and he embodied his views in some admirable 

 papers on the mechanism of articulate speech. In one of these he 

 clearly showed that the Welsh LI is not to be pronounced by the 



