2 
Proceedings of Eoyal Society of Edinburgh. 
Professor Sir DOUGLAS MACLAGAN, President, 
in the Chair. 
Chairman’s Opening Address. 
(Read December 1, 1890.) 
My duty this evening is to give the usual Introductory Address 
at the opening of a new Session, this which commences this evening 
being the Society’s 108th. 
Before doing so, however, I must try to disburden myself of a 
weight which has hung heavy upon me for the last few days, and 
consists in the difficulty, which I find to he insuperable, how to 
select adequate terms in which to express my sense of the honour 
which you have conferred upon me, in placing me in the position of 
your President. In my wildest dreams it never occurred to me 
that such an event was possible, till a short while ago when certain 
members of the Council hinted to me that such a step was in 
contemplation ; and I can assure you that it was not without con- 
siderable hesitation that I acceded to the request that I should 
allow myself to be put in nomination. You will, I trust, believe 
me, when I say that this hesitation in no way arose from any want 
of appreciation on my part of the greatness of the honour to he 
conferred on me. It was exactly the contrary. What I felt, and 
do feel, is not for myself, hut for the Royal Society. I knew that 
my life has been little else than that of a practitioner and teacher of 
medicine. However constantly I have watched with interest the 
progress of Science in its various departments, my studies and any 
little work which I have done have been chiefly with the object of 
keeping myself au courant du jour for the purpose of teaching; and 
as regards her real work I have been to Science, in Horatian phrase, 
cultor yarcus et infrequens. I feared, therefore, that the Royal 
Society might suffer in its prestige by its appearing to the outer 
world as if it had no man of scientific repute to fill its Chair. I know, 
of course, that this is not the case, that there are men among you 
who by their published works have made for themselves a reputa- 
tion that would have truly justified their elevation to the President- 
ship. It did not escape the notice of the Council, and it must 
have occurred to all of you, that the man who stood out as the 
