The Sun.
London, England, 1851-07-07 00:00:00

ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS.

A number of distinguished visitors assembled on Sa-
turday afternoon in the library of the Royal College of
Physicians, Pall-mall East, to hear the Latin Harveian
oration, which was delivered by Dr. Spurgin. Among
those who were present we observed the Archbishop of
Dublin, the Bihop of Lichfield, the Bishop of Bangor,
Sir R. Inglis, General Sir G. Pollock, Sir A. D Croft,
Lieutenant-Colonel Carpenter, the Hon. nantain Maude,'
Dr. Braude, the Rev. Principal Lee, Dr. .tee, Dr.Lemer-
cier, the Rev. Dr. Mai or, Sec. At four o'clock Dr. Spurgin,
in his scarlet robes, preceded by the mace-bearer, as-
cended the rostrum, and the President of the College
(Dr. J. Ayrton Paris), Dr. Hawkins, registrar, and
other members of the institution (also in their robes of
office), having taken their seats, proceeded to deliver
the oration, which was listened to with great attention,
and of which the following is a summary. After a few
introductory sentences he remarked upon the delight
attending the discovery of truth as well as the mode in
which it should be investigated, and pointed out the
superiority of the analytic over the synthetic me-
thod of discovery. This was forcibly illustrated by
the great discovery of the circulation of the blood
by the immortal Harvey. He next adverted to the
paramount importance of the blood in relation both to
health and disease, and showed that in it was contained
the means by which life was preserved and perpetuated,
and that the very origin and well-being of the whole
body depended upon that marvellous agent. A very
high tribute was paid to the memory and character of
Harvey, in honour of whom the ovation was instituted.
In complete harmony with Harvey's discovery, Dr.
Spurgin propounded a new view of the supply of blood
to the muscular fibre of the heart. He argued that that
supply could not be derived from the coronary arteries,
as is universally taught; but that it flowed through cer-
tain foramina in the cavities of the heart itself, to which
all the coronary vessels stood in the relation of veins. In
confirmation of this view, he pointed out a peculiarity in
the structure of the coronary arteries, and referred to
medical history, which afforded an instaece of a total
obliteration cf the passage through those arteries with-
out causing a cessation of life. He next offered
some interesting remarks on the existence of a via
formatrix" pervading the whole animal world, but
differing in each individual species, to which he
invited the attention of all those who were
interested in the advancement of sound physiology. He
drew attention to the extensive and varied knowledge
essentially necessary to all who practised the healing art,
and the high moral tone which should always accompany
both its acquisition and exercise. The members of the
college who had died during the past year were feelingly
alluded to, and a well-merited eulogium pronounced upon
the late Dr. Haviland, Regius Professor of Physic in the
University of Cambridge. In the peroration some strik-
ing' observations were made upon the present remark-
able era in the world's history and in the discoveries of
science; among the latter were mentioned Professor
Faraday's discovery relative to the action of the magnet
upon oxygen, and M. Foucault's demonstration, even to
visual perception, of the rotation of the earth upon its
axis. In conclusion, he alluded to the Crystal Palace
and its peculiarities of construction, and described the
vast object associated with this Great Exhibition, and
the incalculable influence it might exercise upon the
future well-being of the human race. He finished by a
graceful compliment to the Queen as our beneficent
ruler, and to Prince Albert as the promoter of this great
national work.