Page:The Hunterian oration, for the year 1819.djvu/26

22 forth, a similar publication was set on foot in this country under the patronage of the first Professor Monro of Edinburgh. It is unnecessary for me to tell you, Gentlemen, of the number and importance of the periodical publications of our own country. The facility of publication, which such works afford, prevents useful information from being lost, whilst they keep alive amongst the members of our profession in general a spirit of enquiry, emulation, and co-operation. Having thus adverted to the principal circumstances which have influenced the progress of the medical sciences, it seems only necessary to show the improvements made by the two late eminent physiologists Haller and Hunter, in order to place distinctly within your view the present state of these sciences in our own country, which is my chief object in this address; for indeed it would be but of little use to look back, except in order to determine the di-