The age of biology : an inaugural address delivered at the opening of the Andersonian Medical School, session 1879-80 / by the President of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow.

  • Fergus, Andrew, 1822-1887.
Date:
1879
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The age of biology : an inaugural address delivered at the opening of the Andersonian Medical School, session 1879-80 / by the President of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow. 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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    spirit, and decision of character, they marched in one imposing phalanx to the chief magistrate, and demonstrated to him the absolute, urgent, and imperative necessity of convening a public meeting, on the earliest possible day, to consider the Milk Supply. In this way was inaugurated the great movement, which has since extended to every corner of the three kingdoms, and seems for the present to be strongest of all in London. The history of it is simple and natural, and reflects the highest credit on the affectionate feelings and consummate tact of the fair authors of the movement—the Glasgow Ladies. I wish I could speak in the same laudatory terms of their Coadjutoes. But it seems to me that they overstepped their province in delivering an authoritative opinion on a subject of which they know so little as the causation of fevers: and that they acted in oppo- sition to the dictates of their own kind hearts in so perpetuating an alarm in the public mind, and destroying the peace of many timorous and nervous persons, who are entitled to con- sideration and sympathy. I think, also, that they did not act with their usual courtesy and urbanity when, being desirous of having their hands strengthened for the great work they had in contemplation, they sent a letter to a learned body belonging to their own city—the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons— requesting them to petition in favour of the principle of a Bill of which they did not explain either the principle or any of the provisions; fearful, apparently, that the Faculty might claim a share of the glory of so great a measure, but not displeased that they should share the odium of the heavy taxation which it would entail. Neither can I approve, although I here speak with much deference to mercantile men, of their Milk Com- panies: for I can see no good, but only harm, that can arise from interfering with an important branch of industry, and diverting it into an artificial channel in which it cannot possi- bly continue; while in the meantime they are injuring and perhaps ruining many poor but honest people of both sexes who earn their livelihood by the sale of milk. Last of all,
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