Page:The Harveian oration 1905.djvu/58

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54
THE HARVEIAN ORATION.

investigations carried on therein during their existence, showing that much sound and important pathological and other work has been accomplished by the liberality of the colleges, which has had a most beneficial direct as well as indirect bearing on the prevention and cure of disease.

Modern Activity in Research.

If Harvey could come on the scene at the present time, and realise what is going on in the way of "seeking and studying out the secrets of nature by way of experiment," surely he would be amazed and amply satisfied, to see the extent and thoroughness with which his exhortation is being carried into effect in all directions. On all sides the cry is for "research," usually accompanied with an appeal for "funds," and we see it carried out in relation to industrial enterprises, chemistry, physics, biology in all its branches, light, electricity, agriculture, and various other departments having no immediate bearing on our profession. Yet even in some of these departments new discoveries have been, and are being made, and new forces or elements brought to light, not a few of which have already proved of decided value in diagnosis and treatment, and it is impossible to foretell or to estimate what the future may bring forth in this direction.

Coming to the question of research in relation to the medical profession more particularly, the existing