Sir James Paget and his contributions to pathology

Sir James Paget's Lectures on Surgical Pathology, published in 1853, was based on Lectures given at the Royal College of Surgeons of England in the previous six years. It makes use of the pathological material collected by John Hunter in the late eighteenth century which was housed in the College. It expands the principles of pathophysiology enunciated by Hunter using microscopic observations. The first half of the book covers mainly inflammation and repair; the second is involved in a description of tumours with particular emphasis on the difference between benign and malignant growths. This book indicates a concept of pathology before the realization of the role of infectious organisms. However, there is some inkling of the contagious nature of syphilis and variola following on Hunter's work. The concept, current at that time, that tuberculosis was related to cancer is expressed. This work acts as a bridge between the pathology of John Hunter and that of the present time.