Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-12-03

generations Each endemic disease has T..
specluc animal contagion; is specifIc GENERA
OF lnI1soria- Henle (Who Is Justly Considered
one OF tne best microscopic observers Of Ger
msn5J mas proved the existence OF this cause
Aha the truth OF the theory in every way but
one. ne has never seen the epidemic infu-
Tn. three points for INQUIRY are thus well
l. We have to INQUIRE whether the lower ar
ganlsms, which are found in the diseased body.
may arise there spontaneously, or whether
even they may be regarded as regular CON
stltuents OF life
2. The morpholog'caI relation of these or.
genlsms have TO be investigated and their
SPECIFIC nature In the different morbid processes
has TO be determined
Z. We have to inquire into theft biological re-
lationS. their development inside and Outside
OF the body, and the conditions under which
tney are able to penetrate into the body and
there set up disease.
Each Of these divisions is so accurately
slaoorated as 70 give exactaess Of statement.
While all the findings OF Dr. Klebs NAV not vet
oe accepted, his rank as a candid and skilled
observer and the verifcation which some of
tnem nave obtained. entitle his views to large
credence: His classification and nomenclature
Al 20 much aid the ordinary student who, be-
cause or clinical duties, cannot devote himself
20 laboratory work or call over the names
or the infinitesimal races as Familiarity as he
would repeat the genealogical preaxes Of his
own family. -'''
Because we 50 naturally connect the idea of
motion with animal life we, need constantly to
De reminded that thus far in the tracings Of
the connection OF organisms with disease we
animal life
The three groups under which rank all the
various diseases usually spoken OF as zymotic,
eno many more, are all associated with vege-
pie me- ana IN speaking of them he says: THE
animal parasites need not here to be consider
nafF AFT
either less important or else such as admit OF
no question. When in relation TO the vegeta-
BILE parasites We find the names OF such a cata-
logue or diseases as fevers, ringwOrm and
thrush. which our own Prof, ssor BurreIl
has traced in other effects, tubsrcle and
scrofua. as in the full book of DR.. Schiller (see
simon's address), the anthrax, splenic and
other diseases OF animals the periodic and CON
unued fevers, diphtheria, croupus pneumonia
and some iheumatisms, erysipelas, mumps
scarlatina and measles, with cholera, yellow
t9 and many others also waiting for proba-
ole recognition. we begin to find that there is
In them Wilderness like the Wilderness OF the
sea And the great and significant origin COM
mon to the fever group. Of these diseases is
that they come to the body more or less direct
~ from the soil, and so emphasize that part
OF our work which consists in the preventive
or oxidation Of soil pollution.
The bearing Of all this upon the recent re-
suits OF labors in which comparative and
human medicine have so efficiently Joined
hands as represented by Chaveau, Pas.eur Dr.
Greenfield (see simon and Touissant make this
paper wish its details Introductory to that OF
Pasteur. in which he explains the methods by
which he is able 50 10 deal with malignant or
ganisms as to make them benign. and then use
their benignity as a protective from what
would otherwise be the destructive assault of
myriads Of their comrades insinuating with
witch like disturbance and annihiIating the
higher animal life.
lmplantation. ss already largely applied in
France to the prevention OF an hrax, opens up
60 US great possibilities for the future all in
the line o. the special study OF this association
lt is OF note, too, that the oxygen. which is the
vgor OF the animal life, seems to be the lin1ita-
ton 70 the rampant vegetable life, since Pas
teur attributes this attenuation OF the virus
solely to the action OF the oxygen. IL so, it
seems to give new force TO the relation of air
dilution and exposure to the limitation of
nearly all the communicable diseases.
II will be noticed that thus far we have not
touched upon the section Of State medicine,
our aim having been to show the degree TO
which the subject upon which our association
is employed permeates the whole science and
art Of medicine. IN fact, this section might be
regarded as only differing from the others in
its relation to hygs gene, because IN view of what
has been DEVELOPED over the whole field of
medical inquiry. it considers more specifically
what are the duties OF law and nationality in
regard thereto.
The address Of our distinguished leader. DR..
Simon, with his usual ability, applied itself 20
the consideration OF this problem. 1t outlined
as already accepted By the English nation to a
degree the extent and variety OF which has
been but very partially reached in cur own
legislation. Even the concise summary is too
lengthy to repeat. but shows that Great Brit
ain regards the health Of the people as an in
terest not less national than personal, and has
intended to guard it with all pracd able Sc
curities against trespaSs, casualties, neglects
and frauds.
Subjects upon which valuable papers were
read before this section were The principles
=
the diffusion of disease with special considera-
tons OF imported diseases: of syphilis, scarlet
fever and hydrophobia, and several papers
upon the influence Of various articles Of food
in spreading parasitic, zymotic, tubercular and
other diseases The paper OF DR.. Creighton,
on tubercular disease as conveyed by animals;
that Of DR.. Emmes, OF Lisbon, on the proven
ton OF trichinosis, another a specific acute
disease attributed to the use OF pork by Drs
Ballard and Klein; that by Prof. Tidy giving a
chemical view OF some cases of meat poison
ing; that OF Ernest Hart on the influence of
milk in spreading zymotic diseases, and that
OF DR.. Miroy on the influence of food on
health and disease, show how prominently the
relations between man and animals in the
causation OF disease is attracting the attention
OF sanitsrians. l shall not here attempt to
canvass these and other valuable papers before
that section because it will naturally attract
the notice of those who might not have either
the time or opportunity to review the entire
savings and doings of the congress.
The spirit and work Of the section was such
as to show that there was comprehension OF
the real status which public or state medicine
has secured; a recognition OF the fact that we
are in the presence Of questions or the most
consequential import, which have in the last
decade pressed themselves upon professional
and governmental attention, and that the
workers in the field of sanitation have under
observation and in hopeful investigation, mat
tiers OF the most pressing importance TO per
sonal and national life and well being.
There was another incidental recognition of
the wide range of sanitary inquiry. The Inter
national Sanitary Exhibit at South KensiDgton
was so much an outcome and attachment or
the congress that il calls for few lines OF
notice.
When Sir William Jenner. in his Introductory
address before the congress, sought to present
from the great catalogue OF British physicians
the ideal Of the woTthiest workers in our
science" he choose the name of Edmund a.
Parkes the Hippocrates OF hygiene, to express
the embodiment Of all that IS true, and worthy
and noble in our professional life. He stands
out" said he, $50 pre- eminently above all
others that have known as the absolutely
typical scientific phy sician that must mention
him and commend his museum to your inspec-
ton" The medical faculty Of England had in
1876 established as his memorial this museum
Of hygiene, to be cslled ~ his name, ito per
petuate the memory or a man whose LIE hes
been OF almost unparalleled utility to others"
The plan Of extending this into a grand medi-
cal and sanitary exhibit Of four weeks dura-
ton met with the approval Of the congress,
and resulted in the bringing together of such a
variety Of instruments and appliances for
medical and sanitary administration as showed
that in neither department are we workmen
without our tools. His Royal Highness. the
Duke of Edinburgh, was its patron; the Right
Hon Earl Spencer its President, and John Eric
Erickson, F. r 5 President OF the Royal Col
Iege Of Surgeons the chairman OF its commit
tee. About five hundred exhibitors made dis
PLAYS in seventeen sections, Of which over halt
we. devoted to sanitary exhibits.
This helps to mark an era in sanitary science
and art since upon these various appliances so
much depends the application OF principles
and the evidence OF their results in the better
protection Of health and life. This is doubly
Important, since the pioneers in hygiene are
those who. because of their professional type,
are not likely to be well infosmed In the details
Of mechanism and its adaptations and because
both we and the public can in no other way be
so readily educated rs by coming tos e, handle
and understand those devices which are the
best test either for illustration or rejection OF
the principles and designs proposed.
Awsnt Of familiarity on the part OF medical
men with applied physics and mechanics. and
OF skilled ability to detect the unhtness or in
adequacy of constructions, plans and instru-
nents proposed or adopted, Is, we think, the
weak point in hyRienic bodies largely made
I'D from the medical profession, and therefore
we welcome IL as good emen, not only when
the engineers and architects and artisans join
our ranks, bus when by seeing and examining
these devices Wa become partners IN com
mon knowledge TO that extent which is de-
sirable for those who to some degree must
have and pass opinions on each others
methods.
This exhibit. therefore, had much sanitary
significance and all the more because COM
mittee of our own association is just consider
fDcy uhat can he done BY our own cOuntrJ in q