X 
REPORT OF THE 
The York Medical Society held their Annual Meeting in the 
theatre of the Museum on October 13th, when Dr. Goodhart, 
of Guy’s Hospital, delivered an oration of much interest on 
“ Man and Medicine ” to a large audience. 
The Yorkshire Dialect Society held its first meeting in the 
Museum on September 25th, 1897, under the Presidency of 
The Marquis of Ripon, K.G 
The York and District Field Naturalists’ Club holds its 
monthly meetings in the Museum. 
All the above Societies aim at the pursuit of objects cognate 
with those of the Philosophical Society and the Council has 
had pleasure in assisting them by the use of its premises, but 
it must not be forgotten that union is strength, and the Council 
is of opinion that some of these Societies would more fitly be 
worked as sections of this Society, appointing their own 
officers but meeting within the walls of, and contributing to 
the transactions of, the Parent Society. 
The Lecture Theatre, though holding above 200 persons, 
has on several occasions been found inadequate to comfortably 
accommodate the audience. The Council would willingly 
undertake the question of a more commodious theatre at one 
end of the building, and appropriate the present theatre to 
other purposes, but are deterred by questions of expense. 
The Society had some years ago a debt of {3,500, and 
arrangements were made with the Yorkshire Insurance Co. to 
extinguish this by an annual payment of £198 for 30 years to 
pay off both principal and interest. This annuity has still 16 
years to run, and the principal has now been reduced to £2,466. 
It is estimated that a sum of £2,500 would be required to 
build a satisfactory new theatre, for the payment of which, 
and the redemption of the debt, a sum of nearly £5,000 would 
be required. Four per cent, on this would be £200, or 
practically what we are paying at present. It is believed that 
many persons find difficulty in safely investing their money to 
pay 4 per cent, during their life and care comparatively little 
what becomes of it after their death. Some would willingly 
see it applied during their life to objects in which they take an 
interest, provided they could do so without loss of present 
income. One of our number has offered £1,000 on these 
