The Hunterian oration, delivered at the Royal College of Surgeons, February 14, 1853 / by Bransby B. Cooper.

  • Bransby Blake Cooper
Date:
1853
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Hunterian oration, delivered at the Royal College of Surgeons, February 14, 1853 / by Bransby B. Cooper. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    During the whole period of their existence, plants are fixed to one spot, and are entirely dependent for their support upon substances which are accidentally brought within the influence of their appropriating organs j but in adverting to locomotion, we perceive that the great purpose of this faculty in animals is to enable them to approach those substances which may serve as aliment. Through the medium of their senses most animals are competent either to make choice of that which is fitted for their nourishment, or to shun that which is pernicious; they thus possess a faculty which places them far above the position of the vegetable kingdom; but each alike must perish if from any cause they be shut out from a sufiicient supply of nourishment. All this Hunter has taught us, and although per- haps the observations of others had extended to some distance along the same path, it was left to him to collect and establish an assemblage of consecutive facts which have served to shed light upon the pro- gress of every subsequent inquirer. From this stage of his investigations Hunter pro- ceeded to the consideration of the variety of contri- vances with which animals are furnished for the purpose of obtaining and seizing their food; and I believe I may safely aver, that not even the most cursory observer can examine the preparations re- ferring to this subject without being struck with wonder at the infinite variety and complication of apparatus by which nature has rendered animals com- ])etent to obtain their food under the peculiar circum- stances in which they are destined to exist.
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