Page:Cellular pathology as based upon physiological and pathological histology.djvu/35

Rh however, has done for histology, has as yet been but in a very slight degree built up and developed for pathology, and it may be said that nothing has penetrated less deeply into the minds of all than the cell-theory in its intimate connection with pathology.

If we consider the extraordinary influence which Bichat in his time exercised upon the state of medical opinion, it is indeed astonishing that such a relatively long period should have elapsed since Schwann made his great discoveries, without the real importance of the new facts having been duly appreciated. This has certainly been essentially due to the great incompleteness of our knowledge with regard to the intimate structure of our tissues which has continued to exist until quite recently, and, as we are sorry to be obliged to confess, still even now prevails with regard to many points of histology to such a degree, that we scarcely know in favour of what view to decide.

Especial difficulty has been found in answering the question, from what parts of the body action really proceeds—what parts are active, what passive; and yet it is already quite possible to come to a definitive conclusion upon this point, even in the case of parts the structure of which is still disputed. The chief point in this application of histology to pathology is to obtain a recognition of the fact, that the cell is really the ultimate morphological element in which there is any manifestation of life, and that we must not transfer the seat of real action to any point beyond the cell. Before you, I shall have no particular reason to justify myself, if in this respect I make quite a special reservation in favour of life. In the course of these lectures you will be able to convince yourselves that it is almost impossible for any one to entertain more mechanical ideas in particular instances than I am wont to do, when called upon to interpret the