The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-11-20

nus, known at school by the name of
Herschel, its discoverer. Neptune was
discovered by 1.-THE minds eye" of LIE
| Verrier, 8 French mathematician, who
had not seen it. but who instructed a
Berlin astronomer where to find it, &C.
cording to his calculations: one of the
nobleHt victories of the human intellect.
The stars supposed to have been fixed
are found to be in perpetual movement.
The distances OF some of them have been
approximately calculated. The nature
OF their respective elements has been
determined by that wonderful instru-
ment, the spectroscope, invented within
forty years; and by the same instrument.
compounded with the telescope, their
movements are observed. whether bither
or beyond. Experts have been search
ing into the principles of things, and in
ventors have been devising practical
applications of them. New departments
OF science have been evolved: Biology,
Sociology, Anthropology. are recent ad-
ditions to the list. while Chemistry,
Meteorology, Magnetism and other
| forms OF energy have been rewritten.
Especially has the correlation of the
| physical forces, motion, heat, light, mag.
netism. electricity. been demonstrated
within forty years. Within the same
| period have scientists come to agree
ment as to the evolution OF all physical
life from the simplest elements in the
| long ages of terrestrial time.
MEDICINE AND SURGERY.
The practice Of medicine and surgery
has been greatly improved. The latter,
save in its mechanical dependence upon
anatomy, has been thoroughly reformed.
Had the physicians attendant upon Pres
| ident Garfield known, that valuable life
might have been prolonged. The skill
full surgeon now knows how to prevent
blood poisoning from wounds. The use
OF new an@sthetics has relieved surgery
Of many horrors. The physician, through
improvement Of physiological knowl-
edge and continued research and expert
ment, has become more helpful. He
has largely become the adviser of his
clients as to the prevention of disease.
He has ceased to starve his fever pa
tient, and to prevent his refreshment by
water; he no longer withdraws his
blood, reducing his strength, or il it is
ever done, it is in the most emergent
case. In most cases he has abandoned
the use of calomel. which in my youth
appeared to be commonly administered
in fevers, to the frequent detriment of
| the patients general health. if at all to
| his temporary benefit. Research has
revealed the causes of many diseases,
| epidemic and contagious, as living
| germs, and experiment is determining
methods Of cure which promise 10 put
under control the pestilences and
plaques which have SO seriously affect
ed humanity. The physician no longer
| administers heroic doses, or very rarely.
| He has found it needless to exhibit his
remedies in gross, drenching his patient
with disgusting mixtures, but has found
how to produce the results he desires by
more concentrated forms, more infiuen-
tial though less overpowering. With
| out entering into the debate of the vari-
GUS schools, l may say that evidently
| the diminution of the use Of drugs in
quantity is largely due to the appear
ance and success of the practice of
homeopathy. which, although formula
ted in 1910. was not introduced into this
country until 1925. Even the mere dis
continuance of drugs has sometimes led
to cure. and there are some physical
troubles which are frequently subject
to reused will. Reformed dietary
habits, regulation and regularity of
meals, temperance in food as we'll as in
drink, tend to physical health; and at
tention to sanitary principles. and the
| effective execution of sanitary laws in
our larger cities and towns, with the
| improvements in medical and surgical
science. have tended to prolong the
average of human life upon the earth
| NOVELTIES.
Time fails me to do more than refer
to few instances of things now seam.
| ingly necessary to home and general
comfort and prosperity. of which the
| people were destitute, or the use was
not available, when my life began:
steel pens, gold pens. fountain pens,
friction matches. sewing machines. writ
ing machines, anthracite coal, heaters,
hall stoves, coal cooking stoves, blotting
paper. rubber overshoes, bathrooms in
| private houses and hotels. postal stamps
and envelopes. postal orders. false col
lars and cuffs, ice chests, cold storage,
photographs and Photographic engrav-
ings, tomatoes as esculents, dates grape
fruit, so-called, canned meats, vegeta-
bles and fruits; sewerage in cities.
transatlantic steamers. railroads, the
electric telegraph and submarine cables,
the telephone and photograph, street
railroads. electric lights, heat and cars,
copying presses, steam printing presses,
expresses, the bicycle, athletic clubs,
steam fire engines, Illuminating gas.
The list might be extended. But how
could we find social and physical com