EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
49 
was with the honorary Secretary, Mr. Tucker, that it took its 
rise. So long as nearly three years ago that gentleman had 
written some letters on the subject to “ The Lancet,” under the 
signature of “ Pater.” This led to the formation of a committee 
of a few gentlemen, who came to the decision that a society of 
the kind was greatly needed, there never having been a society 
in this country who had devoted themselves to epidemic diseases. 
This was followed by a meeting at the Hanover-square Rooms, 
at which it was finally resolved that a society should be forth- 
with formed. 
From the earliest ages to the present period, epidemic dis- 
eases have from time to time been the scourges of the human 
race ; and the Sacred volume, at once the most ancient and the 
most authentic history of remote antiquity, records, as you well 
know, many awful visitations of the pestilence which but too 
surely marked the anger of a justly offended Deity — offended, 
but not implacable; for the plague was ever and anon stayed 
by the supplications of those whom the Almighty permitted 
to intercede with Him on behalf of his disobedient children. 
In later times, we have no reason to believe that the great 
Jehovah interferes with the laws which He, in his infinite wis- 
dom, has laid down for the governance of mankind and of all 
created beings. The days of miracles are past, yet the Author 
of all visits us as surely and as fearfully as ever through the 
operation of natural causes ; and it is one purpose of our exist- 
ence, on which our welfare is made to depend, that we endeavour 
to discover and avert them. The means of doing so have, in 
these latter days, been greatly increased. The practical tenden- 
cies of the age lead towards the improvement of physical science, 
and much success has rewarded our researches in this depart- 
ment. The object, then, of this Society, I take to be, to endea- 
vour, by the light of modern science, to review all those 
causes which result in the manifestation and spread of epidemic 
diseases — to discover causes at present unknown, and investigate 
those which are ill understood — to collect together facts on 
which scientific researches may be securely based — to remove 
errors which impede their progress — and thus, as far as we are 
able, having made ourselves thoroughly acquainted with the 
strongholds of our enemies and their modes of attack, to suggest 
those means by which their invasion may either be prevented, 
or, if, in spite of our existence, they may have broken in upon 
us, to seek how they may be most effectually combated and ex- 
pelled. In an address which has already been framed by the 
Council, and which I doubt not most of those here present have 
seen, the circumstances which have led the profession to join in 
VOL. XXIV. H 
