1888 - 89 .] 
Chairman' s Opening Address. 
7 
of a series of papers published in 1879 dealing with the subjects of 
“ The Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases,” and “ Air, 
Water Supply, Sewage Disposal, and Food,” the portion under the 
latter title being contributed by Dr Wallace. He was also the 
author of a very large number of pamphlets, and of papers contri- 
buted to Societies on a great variety of subjects. Dr Wallace was 
for many years an active and valuable member of the Glasgow 
Philosophical Society, of which some years ago he was elected 
President. 
Having no retrospect to take, I look to the future with a special 
regard to those places where work has been, or is being done, and 
from which we may expect contributions to the work of the Society 
during the present Session. I say nothing of what is being done in 
the quiet of the laboratories by the physicist or chemist, which as 
yet is known only to the workers, and may furnish abundant 
materials for papers at our meetings. I would speak of those opera- 
tions which are more or less in the public eye, and which may 
equally contribute to furnish us with papers of interest and value. 
The general survey entitles me to say that there is no lack of 
scientific activity in Scotland at present. 
I shall perhaps be pardoned if, in a spirit of esprit de corps , I 
first mention the Laboratory of Research of the Royal College of 
Physicians of Edinburgh, under the able superintendenceship of Dr 
Woodhead. It is a personal gratification to me to think that the 
movement for establishing this Laboratory was inaugurated and 
carried out when I had the honour of filling the Chair of the Royal 
College ; but the merit is in no respect due to me, but to the energy 
and perseverance of a member of our Council, Dr Batty-Tuke. It 
is a great satisfaction to know that not only have we the prospect 
of the original investigations made there being communicated to 
the world through the Royal Society, but that we have had an 
earnest for the future in the shape of papers already read before us, 
and now in the course of publication; and I may be permitted to 
add, as an office-bearer of the Royal College, that this development 
is an evidence, among other instances, that medical corporations do 
not gather funds for selfish purposes, but are ready and willing to 
use them for the advancement of scientific knowledge. 
Next, I would point to another field of scientific work as one 
