New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-16

Tho transactions Of professional and scientific
CONGRESSES do not often appeal strongly to pop
,,I,r interest They deal with matters beyond
tho average layman's ken. SBut when the speak
or is 4 man of action, as we'll as of science. the
note Of common humanity Is distinctly struck
such was the case ut the recent Geographical
Congress. as related the other day by our London
correspondents When Mr. Stanley talked Of
cvzing Africa. or Slatn Pacha rehearsed the
tragedy of Kharoum, or Mr.. Andree outlined
his daring scheme of balloon voyage to the
Arctic Pole the scientific intellect and the pop
MAR Imagination were both profoundly moved
The same or similar effect Is produced when
human health. the combating Of disease. and the
preservation and prolongation of life, are under
consideration There are no themes more richly
laden with perennial fascination to mankind
than these
The address Of Sir Russell Reynolds as presl-
dent. nj the opening of the recent annual meet
ing Of the British Medical Association, COM
mandcd the earnest attention Of Il scientific audi
cncc. At the same time ii was well calculated
10 interest every intelligent nearer or reader
whether belonging to the medical profession or
not. Especially was this true Of those portions
Of il dealing with germ diseases and the meth
DDS Of dealing with them, and with the vast adj
yancemcnt made in recent years in bringing
the forces of life 10 bear against the inroads or
disease and death This advancement, indeed
represents the most important achievements or
the profession. Nothing has happened in the
last twenty years. said Sir Russell, comparable
with the new revelations Of the potency and pre-
potcncy Of lfe in life in health. and in disease
and its treatment. These comprise not only the
power and functions of hitherto unappreciated
organs but also the vast parts played by the
innumcrable multtudcs of germs OF various
kinds with which the whole world teens
The theory of germ diseases is, Sir Russell
holds. by no means new. How ancient II Is in
some rudimentary form it would be rash to try
to tell Nor is the corrclatiye theory of germ
curcs new. In earliest ages there was at least
faint glimmerng of its wondrous truths, in
what we have perhaps too contemptuouSly rcck-
onel mere superSttions and old-wives' fables.
What is our latest medical science. the science
of Pasteur and Koch. but a triumphant expan-
sion of the old principle of taking the hair OF
the dog that has bitten you? But we may be
getting even beyond the germ cure Itself. III
diving organisms of higher forms contain within
themselves potency for killing. surely they may
als) contain potency for healing. or all the
agents Of destruction. said sir Russell, the most
violent have been derived from living things;
from the animal and vegetable kingdoms rather
than from the mineral. This fact has led to
many fantastic beliefs and practices In therapeu-
ties There have been those who rcckoned that
the ailment of any organ might be cured by
administering to the patient similar but healthy
organ Of another man or animal This theory
WIS not altogether wrong. In some important
rcsnccts il has been vindicated. The medical
world is today contemplating the possibility, and
thc probability. too, not merely of curing a dis
ease but Of rendering one being immune against
disease by Introducing into It's organism a
healthy constituent of the body OF another II
fully confirmed. this will be the greatest trl-
umph yet recorded in the whole realm OF
therapeutic and preventive medicine.
Nothing could appeal more strongly to the
Imagination than the turning of poison of
disease against the disease itself, unless it be
this finding in life and health, the elements of
cure and immunity from morbid attacks. And
that is lust what medical science is to-day doing.
1t would, said Sir Russell Reynolds, be absurd
10 say in what this potency OF lie exlsts III Is
enough for us to recognize its existence, rejoice
in its marvellous energy, and anticipate still more
from our investigations of its modes of actions.
As another eminent scientist has said: Search
while we may with eyes, however aided and
however earnest. that which we call life eludes
.cur search and resists our efforts. We must be
content with what knowledge we can gain, Sc
Genre or insecure: and while using it rs best we
..mav. should realize in all humility how much
.thcrc is we cannot know-and yet we cannot
doubt"