Page:The Harveian oration, delivered before the Royal College of Physicians, Wednesday, June 27th, 1877 (IA b22314623).pdf/28

 renown that nothing my feeble voice might urge can either abate or increase. Would not Harvey have rejoiced to learn the revelations of the microscope and of the chemical laboratory, which belong especially to our day? Can we not picture to ourselves the flash of joy that would beam from his black eyes as he traced the intricacies of cardiac action and of respiration with the stethoscope, the sphygmograph, and the car- diograph? Would it not have gladdened his heart to see the admirable reports of the (late) Medical Officer of the Privy Council, spreading light over recondite processes, and illuminating subjects not less interesting to the man of science than fraught with benefits to the human race? Would Harvey not have followed with profound intelligence and animation the discussions in our societies on the causes and pathology of cancer, on the communi- cability and production of tubercle, and the in- tricate question of syphilitic infection ?

Who can study the researches of Dr. Burdon Sanderson into the pathology of infective processes without feeling that he is leading us to a pro- founder study of the most hidden phenomena of disease than was thought attainable a very short time ago? Mr. Simon,* alluding to his work and that of his colleagues, says well that their studies are extremely important, and that ordinary pro-
 * Report of Medical Officer of Privy Council, 1874.