New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-08-21


the micrO-organism cannot be considered an acci-
dent of the disease but must be accepted as its
cause. In many diseases, he asserted all this
had been proved, but he confessed that bacteri-
ology had been left in the lurch in many cases
where there existed the least cause TO expect such
an outcome-smallpox measles influenza, for in
stance The failure in these cases, he thought,
was due to the insuficency of the present methods
of investigation. Feeling himself called on TO
state what benefit had been bestowed by the Sci
ence with which his name is so Intimately con-
nected, he emphasized the aid in diagnosis, lcho-
era and consumption in particular; the improve
ments in filtration, in methods OF testing disln-
fectants, in the sterilization of milk intended
for consumption by children There were several
apparatuses for such sterilization on in
spection in the Medical Exhibition, and
in the publication of air In school
rooms He admitted that the distinct benefits
were as vet insignificant, but he believed they
would not always remain so, since experiments
upon animals had shown that not lew sub
stances possessed the virtue even IN small doses,
of combating the growth Of 0aclln. 1t suihccS
Ia sion the growth of the parasites TO make them
innocuous, and Professor koch is stlll hopeful OF
checking the progress OF consumption. Means
leaking toward this cOnsummatlon were suggested
Inv DR. Comet of Reichcnhall, who las led In the
Investigation of the tuberculosis bacillus, at \
meeting of the lIygcnlc Section In his opinion
the chief cause of the dissemination OF cOnsunip-
tion is TO be found in the evaporation OF the
appropriations of coEsumptives and the lnhala-
ton of the bacillus, for which dust serves as Il
vehicle The Spite of consumptlveS should there
forc he kept moist by being elected into vessels
filed with water and the destruction by FIRE OF
all articles infected with 1t. The same pyslclaii
who was once the head OF the Hygcnlc Institute
If Rerlin advised 4 governmental control of all
milch COWS through vctnary surgeons and tie
prohibition of the sale of ne flesh of tuberculous
animals. Professor SoImaln OF faVia, susges,e'
official dsinfecton of the rooms, etc, of the sanl-
farv resorts frequentcd by cOnsumptivcs, OF rail-
way trains and steamships, and raised the queS-
ton whether the travel of consumptVcs on steam
ships ought not 10 pe enuiclS ploii"i'e" ~
law.
There was pretty appropriateness III professor
Virchow's picture of the healing art as combat
between animal cells and inlmlcal germs. III re-
hected the dominant feeling of this country, ridden
as il is by the incubus of militarisn. Minister
Won Boetticher, who represented the absent In
peror in extending a welcome to the congress
neatly turned a point in favor of him whom with
conventional subserv9ncy he styled his master by
quoting the words which the president OF the
Washington Congress three years ago h porI us
and interpreting il an expression or confluence
that the Xth Congress would find Germany IN a
state OF peace. Professor Virchow Thought II
incumbent on him, however, 70 explain the sig
nifcance of the singular spectacle whlch INC
Goddess of Peace presents as she Is conceived Dy
the modern German mlnd-a goddess Wearihe
the spiked helmet, whose greaVes were puckIeu
and he olive branch conccaling a sword. FOR the
German people he claimed widely extended APP
plication of the fact that medicine is one OF INC
truest representatives of humanity. lheN WcI,
used TO seeing the highest ideal of thought ana
effort ally itself with self sacrificing care Tor tre
welfare of the public and the lndlyldual. I'
show their visitors from foreign lands now com
pletely medicine had become a popular science
and how thoroughly II was permeatcd WIN
phianthropcal ideas, the German Governments
i 1, s,ta
serve TO show what they had done 10 Drlng tneli
sanitary arrangements into harmony with INC
behests of science. Society and the State were
continually threatened by the great Twin MS. ol
mankind poverty and war. but II was comforting
that the people and the Governments OF HerinanV
are ever occupied, striving with hOorlous care u
ameliOrate social ills and preserve peace, goIhch
peace This thought served 10 introduce some
eXcellently practical reflections which the military
pomp and circumstance that confronted the Wis
itOrs on all sides must have called up III the llhds
of the visitors from afar. The German military
system he said in substance, had put an end "a
a great extent to the lines Of dcmarkaton ne
tween military ard civil practitioners. Already
in times Of peace nearly every physician Is obliged
at intervals for a longer or shorter time, TO pfac
tice in the army in order 10 famlliarlHe hluisel
with military affairs. In case of a great wal
called into the field Those who have the great
est experience IN cnnlcs' GsPec,doH amen 'lt t
military hospitals: older colleagues JON them 1Gi
special duty, particularly in reserve hospitals
and ambulance trains. mus 10 lne sanitary
service of the army is given that confidence
and certainty which is the best guarantee Of
success Thus, too. it is enabled to retain that
humane character developed by the dali, practice
of the physician in his civil capacity. II was AZ
this point that he took occasion 10 rebukc the
Chauvinism of the French physicians who had
resolved not TO attend the Congress by saying
that the German military surgeons had given
proof of their humane character in time 81
sorest trial and publicly thanking the French
colleague who had directed the attention OF hlS
conntrymen TO that fact. II In the medlco-scl-
entific exposition the military medical service
should seem presented in "A completeness mpoS
sible in the civil service. il not for the pnr
| pose of demonstrating how well in this particular
| too the Germans prepared for war. but ON
the contrary that the visitors from abroad migh'
recognize how firmly and successfully the admin
istratiOn of the German army adheHs TO inc
purpose Of lessening the horrors OF war as much
as POSSIBLE and 70 bring into operation the laws
of philanthropy the moment the enemy has ceased
the combat or is no longer in a position 70 con
tinue it. For this reason the Germans had M
secrets which they wished TO conceal touchhg
their military sanitary system; the more maj
others could learn from them, the more lhcS
would be ready 70 offer for some day what o'hcfS
had learned might turn 70 the benefit OF INC
''' '''-' II. T.. X.