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Those who undertake the study of medical history are mostly amateur historians and it is a mistake of the amateur to be too engrossed in the thoughts and deeds of men. The interesting thing is not so much what a man thought and did, but why he thought in such a way and why he did certain things. It is only by studying history with this in mind that the student can see a sequence of events and establish a chain from one generation to another.' Lister and his work will never be forgotten '. . . the influence of his mind will continue everlastingly',' but we must not forget one of his pupils-maybe the greatest-who set Glasgow on the very pinnacle of surgical fame with his work on osteotomy, the surgery of the brain and spinal cord, the surgery of the lungs, etc. His contributions to anaesthesia were considerable and are possibly only now becoming more fully appreciated as the speciality of anaesthetics has evolved t o take its rightful place amongst the other sub-divisions of medicine. BiographyMacewen was born in humble circumstances, the youngest of twelve children, on 22 June'l848. He qualified in medicine at Glasgow University in 1869.Macewen came into close contact with Joseph Lister, when he was a junior student and surgical dresser at a time when Lister was Professor of Surgery at Glasgow and beginning his work on the antiseptic system. He was never 10 forget those days and the great impression they made on his mind.

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