Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1884-06-21
rHn ANN rUyoRr.


says III Aiming ~ hi, report "a the
board Of health
The fcceni experiences concerning the germ
nature u disease may be The means u showing
ua The path ~ RATIONAL treatments and they
musi, AMI DO, give nc~ impulse aud aev IN
coufagement ~ ua tg perrycfe In trying ani
experimenting.
While we had to explain the nature
and causes of specific disease upon the
limited philosophy OF 6hy years ago,
there was no basis for a rational hope
that in any considerable proportion Of
cases, either a cure or preventive would
ever be found Once in q while the
old time cNpcflmcnlcr would stumble
upon q valuable discovery much after
the fashion OF the sightless mendicani,
who after days ~ months of fruitlc8
blundcring, tfips at last upon fallen
purse Only a few years since our
treatment of specific, OF what have been
called zymotic diseases, was almost
purely empirical and, while little or
no attention wao paid TO the discovery
Of means Of prevention, all effort was
directed to the discovery Of cures
Why these efforts have been so fuitcss
of results 1t has remained for the theory
OF the germ origin Of disease to show
by the aid Of such discoveries as have
been made within the last few years by
such Investigators as Pastcur, kock and
Nclser, in reference to the natural hIs-
tory Of disease and the specific germs,
in many cases, which they demonstrated
as the causatye agents therein, science
can now look forward with a reasonable
hope that, at no very distant day, many
If not all Of these diseases may be either
prevented or cufcd. The artificial cul
tivation of these germs outside OF the
body, though a branch Of study Of but
recent origin is one which is now being
diligently cultivated, and has already
led TO astounding results BY the aid
Of the knowledge thus acquired, not
only has the principle been discovered
upon which the great discovery OF
1enncr acts in the prevention Of
small poX, but its successful applica
ton in prevention OF other dis
eases as well has been made fact
Already Pasteur has succeeded in OBJ
tanning vaccinia which protects in that
eminen,ly fatal disease, common to
man and animals known variously as
"charbon," "spienic fever" and "malig-
nant pustule,' but in certain other
specific diseases as we'll II has
been found that by the scientific
cultivation Of certain Of these germs,
either an increased or diminished vital
ity and virulence may be given to them
according to the process used, and
this has led TO their iccessful applica-
tion as vaccinias in the case OF chicken
cholera and splenic fever, and analogy
leads to the reasonable hope that wide
field for future discovery has been
opened the possible limits, OF which arc
as yet but dimly foreshadowed. But.
not only in the way Of preventing dis
ease are we encouraged in the germ
theory to look forward to great future
results, but are also led to believe in
great possibilities in regard to the cure
also--the great desideratum being the
discovery of agents, which, while de
vitalizing the noxious germ, will leave
the living tissue unaffected. The won
derul results Of antiseptic surgery, as
we'll as those following the use, in Ger.
tain cases, OF internal autiseptic treat
ment, are Our warrant for such a belief.
Experimentation in this direction is
now inseparably connected with the in
yestigations OF the culture process. lr
reference to the investigations Of lep
rosy, there are many difficulties yet tc
be overcome, before any startling result.
can be looked for and foremost among
these is the apparent inadaptability o
any artificial soil yet discovered, in which
the leprous germ will grow and thrive.
Doctor Aiming tells US in his report
that his time during the next sis
months will be chiefly devoted to cul
tivation experiments. With the mate
rial al hand, and in the hands OF SC
able an investigator, we look forward
with no little expectation TO his success
in the discovery Of some means b,
WHICH TIC SuNtCSSlui NultiNdllpil VI tilc
germ Of leprosy may be made possible.
! The laborious and delicate nature o
the work before Doctor Aiming, in thi:
reference, cannot be fully appreciated
however, by any but those who are ac
quainted with the requirements of the
case, and even if no special results I'M
medlately ensue, we must give al
credit to the man who, as Doctor Hille
brand remarks, has undertaken sucf
} work from "no motives Of gain, bu
prompted by the simple enthusiasm o
J science and philanthrophy.'
Already the doctor sees reason tC
condemn the generally accepted con
clusion that leprosy is incurable, and
places the highest importance upon tht
adoption OF intelligent and persistent
efforts in remedial measures. But he
recognizes the fact that the early treat
ment Of the disease in its initial stages
before the living cells have lost in any
! great degree, their power OF resistance
is likely 10 afford results far more favor
able than where the disease has begur
to interfere with the general health ol
the patient. In view of such propo
sition and OF the fact which is not to
/ be overlooked that there are "numer
Gus cases OF initial leprosy among the