Dr. Mackenzie has for many years occupied a prominent position not only as a specialist but as a champion of specialism, and has exhibited considerable persistence in his advocacy of any cause with which the interests of specialism were connected. Some years ago, when most of the special hospitals were excluded from participation in the London Hospital Sunday Fund, Dr. Morell Mackenzie led the attack upon the position taken up by the committee, with the result that the treasurer of the Fund resigned, and a modification of procedure took place. Dr. Mackenzie, among the other honorary memberships of foreign societies which have been conferred upon him, is one of the two honorary Fellows of the American Laryngological Association, Signor Garcia being the other. He has invented a number of instruments or modifications of instruments for the treatment of throat diseases, and has written copiously on the subject. His principal works are entitled “On the Use of the Laryngoscope in Diseases of the Throat,” “Essays on Throat Diseases,” “Diphtheria,” “Hay Fever,” and “Diseases of the Throat and Nose.” He has also written the article on Diseases of the Larynx in Reynolds’s “System of Medicine.” Dr. Morell Mackenzie claims that his experience as to diseases of the throat amply justifies and necessitates specialism. “The scientific literature relating to these,” he says (_Fortnightly Review_, June 1885), “dates from little more than twenty-five years back, and already it has grown to a bulk that would surfeit the voracity of the most persevering bookworm, and it goes on increasing and multiplying in a manner that makes one long for a Malthus to preach some degree of moderation to its producers. Every week, every day brings one books, pamphlets, articles, lectures, reprints about all sorts of uncomfortable things in _itis_ and _osis_, as seen in the throats of Englishmen, Frenchmen, Germans, Italians, Danes, Russians, Americans, and all the other offspring of Babel. A certain proportion of these, no doubt, are of great value, but not a few might be consigned to the wastepaper basket without serious loss to science; all must be read, however, lest some grains of wheat should be thrown away with the chaff. Several periodicals dealing exclusively with diseases of the throat appear with praiseworthy regularity; and there are also societies, associations, &c., founded for the same purpose, each of which, of course, issues its yearly volume of Transactions.... This may give some faint idea of the herculean labour which the specialist who wishes to keep abreast of the progress of knowledge in his own subject from the literary point of view alone has to undergo; and it must be remembered that in medicine reading is after all only subsidiary to the practical work by which skill is perfected and experience gathered and extended.” * * * * *