Scottish Society of the History of Medicine. Report of Proceedings, session 1978-79

The Society has had a notable year. Membership steadily increased, attendances were excellent, and two most successful joint meetings were held in Edinburgh with the Royal Medical Society and the Scottish Department of the Pharmaceutical Society respectively. At the Annual General Meeting and the following Ordinary Meeting in October 1978, the Society was honoured by having as its guest and one of its speakers, The Thirtieth Annual General Meeting and following Ordinary Meeting were held in the Geography Department ofthe University ofEdinburgh on 21 October 1978. The buildings of this Department were formerly in use as the Old and New Surgical Hospitals of the Royal Infirmary before the Hospital was built on its present site in Lauriston Place and opened in 1879. Two papers were read. Dr. Edwin Clarke chose as the title of his address: TOWARDS A HISTORY OF MEDICINE IN SCOTLAND A research project dealing with the history of provincial Scottish medicine was proposed and some of the possible topics were discussed. These included the creation of a bibliography of sources, lists of local practitioners, accounts of medical institutions, a consideration of the individual in health and disease in his local setting and the efforts to promote his health and combat his diseases, population studies, and provincial medical etymology. "Ague, or malaria as it is generally termed, was one of the scourges of Scotland" or so some eminent modern authors allege. On the face of it this seems improbable until one reflects that malaria used to be indigenous in Archangel; and that the Netherlands were not declared malaria-free until 1970. Records from every parish in Scotland were made for the Statistical account in the 1 790s. This contains statements similar to the one about Abernyte. "If a farmer in the spring wanted four of his cottagers for any piece of work he generally ordered six 209