New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-23
THE CONOUEROR or DISEASE.

Which one of the worlds greatest generals
or conuuerors, which of its living monarchs'
even the best and wisest, will deserve 10 DC
mentioned in comparison with modest German
Professor Koch, if his discovery proves to be
all that he and others believe? AS beneiactorS
If the race. some generals do deserve place.
for civilization sometimes does get forrard
ON powder SO some monarchs by
wise ruling have earned place in the grateful
memory of the race. But which one OF them
all has served humanity as much as he may
serve it who succeeds in giving protec'ioh
against one of the most common and deadly
diseases?
Science properly does not assume that VIC
tory has been achieved until the proof is COM
plete. 1t is not long since most honored
name in France was connected with an elixir
of life. which has proved to his reputation an
elixir of death. Other discoveries not a lew
have been widely heralded, which were not
| found to answer expectations. This IS an era
| of marvellous medical investigation, and with
| its many triumphs science must sometimes meet
| with failures also. But nothing of the char
| atan or quacll is seen in the free offering OF
| Dr. Koch's discovery to the world, or IN his
modest and cautious estimate of his own ac-
complishment lie does not profess TO believe
that consumption can be cured when the greater
part of the lung has been destroyed, and pre-
tends no certainty that the destruction Of the
| bacilli and the extrpation of the disease at one
time will prevent its return, for as yet no ex-
perience can give assurance Oh that point. lie
frankly tells medical inquirer that a consider
able proportion of the patients under his i'm
| 90 do en- bn
benefited at all, though the large majority have
been cured.
Professor Koch shows nothing of the char
latan in his prudent refusal to make known
the constituent elements of his remedy before
il can be produced with necessary care and
skill and administered with scientific precision
of method. The reasons given by him to med
ical inauirers appear eminently sound and In
the best sense disinterested. In seeking to
make this discovery as widely beneficial to the
world as possible he is indeed taking the best
course to secure that Immortality of fame which
"a the elevated soul is moro precious than al
material possessions, and it is none the less
true that his caution and prudence may tend
70 secure him greater material benefit from
his achievement. but these cannot be reckoneC
his ruI,np motives or censured as such, if the
course he pursues is that which strict regard
for the progress of science and the welfare o.
mankind would dictate.
If the discovery meets the expectations o
even the most conservative scientific men whc
have had opportunity to investigate it, who car
compute its worth to the world? The medica
statistics of the last census showed that con
sumntion alone caused more deaths than an,
other disease. no less than 1870 out
/ | 1868 deaths from all causes, and over II
in every 10, 900 inhabitants. If the diseas
can with certainty be arrested and cured in it
earlier stages science will not wait long TO fin
means OF detecting it before it has gone to-
! far, and applying the remedy The extipa
ton of this disease alone might not indee
promise reduction of over one-eighth in tn
7 number of deaths, since persons who escap
3 this evil may be found more exposed to Others
O. sbut it would appreciaby reduce the death-rats