The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-09-06
THE INSTITUTE.
DR.. Weaver Makes On Excellent Address.
Professor Shaeffcr's Talk.

DR.. Weaver Makes on Excellent Address.
Professor Shaeffcr's Talk.
Yesterday morning. shortly after the
institute had been called to order by
Superintendent Coughlin, and the OPEN
ing exercises conducted. Miss Buckbee
gave an excellent address on Mature
Studies" and A. J. Gallagher spoke on
Language" He advocated the cleo
tion of superintendents by the people.
and thought that principals should
have the placing of teachers In the
buildings over which they preside.
After brief recess DR.. Weaver. one
of the school directors. was introduced
and gave one of the best talks of the
institute. He said that he was thor
oughly Interested in school work, and
had attended institute whenever pos
sible His theme was Great Epochs in
Medicine" and he thought 1t a good one
for none Of the greatest medical discov'
cries. especially of recent years, be-
longed to America. DR.. Weaver then
took up the discovery of ether Prior
to 1916 no great operation was per-
formed except under extreme difficulty
and sometimes danger. Previous to
that time Dr. Morton had made some
advances in guarding against mental
and physical shock.
DIR. Morton said once to his friend.
DIR. Warren, that he would like to place
a patient in such a condition that he
would know nothing of the operation
that was performed. Many of the stu
dents assembled. Ether had been
known. of course. but never used as an
anaesthetic. Suffice it to say that the
operation was successful.
Then there Were rival claims. DIR.
Morton was deluged with compliments
and in one case a generous purse was
contributed. But it is generally ac-
knowledged that to DR.. Morton belongs
the credit of introducing ether as an
aaaesthetic. In Massachusetts, hos
pital is a slab on which is recorded.
'"This is the hospital in which ether was
for the first time used by DIR. Morton"
1t is a disgrace to this county that no
more fitting recognition of this dis
covery has ever been displayed
DR.. Weaver then went into the SUBJ
ject of bacteriology. DR.. Gross was
one of the first to introduce new
theories as to bacteria. He Is men
toned particularly because of his be-
ing a native of this vicinity. 1t was
he who first said there was danger
from infection In operating on patients
In hospitals, There was at that time
rivalry between the colleges as to
which had the newest theory on this
subject. Bacteria was known as far
back as 1893.
In 1880 Professor Coap discovered
the germ of consumption, and later
the germ of cholera was discovered.
For this he was highly honored. Pro-
fessor Krebbs discovered the germ of
diphtheria and called 1t bacillus. The
habits of this germ are now clearly
understood.
1t Is peculiar fact that some of
fhasa NJ a Ch n CT n nnpt,
other, and students are giving much of
their time to discover which are an
tagonistic.
The doctor went on to explain the
different forms Of bacteria found in
the air and water. These germs can
be eliminated, and water companies
should be compelled to filter the water
In Berlin. where the water is most
filthy, it is made almost pure by filtra-
tion. In New orleans the same thing
Is seen. The natural habitant of bac-
terra is favorable to contagiOn. that Is
they are found principally in dark and
damp places. No germ can live in 212
degrees of heat, so that when water is
boiled, 1t becomes reasonably safe for
drinking purposes. Children are more
liable to contagion than adults, by
reason Of their habits, such as using
the same pencil, where a group of them
assemble.
A case was illustrated to show that
germs were found in the mouth of
patient at the end of six weeks or
longer after 1t was apparently cured
Of diphtheria.
The danger of disease germs in
school rooms Is not great because Of
their being we'll lighted. DR.. Weaver
said that disease germs could be car
ried by the breath Of diphtheria pa
tient He cited as authority case
where this had been put to test.
Disease can be carried by contact, as
the free exchange of pencils, chewing
gum, apples or other fruit.
State Superintendent Schaeffer then
gave an interesting talk on the great
Swiss teacher, Pestalozzi, man VINO
did more for the cause of humanity
than all the others combined. In his
native town of Zurich he found the
rich revellng in splendor and the poor
grovelling in poverty and ignorance.
His desire in life was to found an in
dustrial school. but he lacked method.
The poor children came in vast num-
bers to his school, were clothed and
often fed at his expense. His funds
gave out, his wife's money gave out
and he became SO poor as to be COM
PEELED to write on the poorest material.
"A
his great work on education. Leonard
and Gertrude" Louise. the queen, wife
of Frederick III. of Prussia, paid the
highest tribute to the genius of Pes.
talozzi when she travelled to SwitZer-
land to study his methods of education,
that she might introduce them among
her own people.
DIR. Schaeffer spoke of the handsome
buildings that have been erected as
schools and said that the great ex-
ample Of this wonderful Swiss Is now
beginning to take hold of the people.
He closed with an eloquent tribute to
the worth of the great educator
The morning session of the institute
was closed by DIR. Kings humorous
recitation of how Columbus dfscov-
cred America.
In the afternoon DR.. Nelson gave
another of his interesting talks on
reading. which was listened to with
close attention by the teachers. Miss
Laub. of the Stroudsburg State Nor
NAL school. spoke ON physiology. This
morning Professor Walsh, Of the
bloomsbury Normal school, will make
an address.
Sister Bcrnadcttc's FnneraL
The funeral of Sister Bernadette was