New-York tribune., 1901-07-28
PASTEUR.

The world to-day gives honor to Louis Pas-
teur 1t has hitherto done so III no uncertain
manner Long ago its best judgment enrolled
his name among those Of its great benencent
geniuses. But to-day, in peculiar ana especlai
manner it pays him a peculiar ana especlai
tribute, which is none the less marked because
it is not ostensbly intended. what was prac-
ticaly an international tuberculosis congress
was last week in session in London. 1t was
attended by some of the foremost physicians
and scientists of the world. 1t was regarded
with intense interest the world around It's
purpose was to devise means of mitigating, II
not of wholly extirpating, the greatest physicai
scourge of the human race And 1t acted III
every step on lines laid down by Louis fasteur.
We NAV not say it would never have met had
it not been for him. America might have been
discovered and colonized had there been no
Columbus. But without hesitation it may be
said that the congress merely continued ana
elaborated the work of which he more than
any other man was the founder
We must give high credit TO the distinguished
men who participated in that congress and VINO
for the last score of years have been success
fully laborng in the science OF Dacteriology
But we must not forget that 1t was Pasteur who
chiefy-we viii not say invented that science,
but made possible the invention and develop
ment thereof Others have explored he dis
covered Others have followed he led. Others
have won much well deserved credit; he suf-
fered all the undeserved abuse and obloquy.
Seldom in history has a great benefactor of the
race been so misunderstood. unjustly criti-
cised. so fooshly and wickedly condemned
Never. perhaps, has one more modestly and
bravely persisted in his work. He was at the
very beginning scorned and ragged against
tct hn fYtrnl 10
meddle with biology and the mysteries of life
He was next mathematical because he dared
in the name of truth to lay hands upon that
sacrosanct fetch Of materialism, spontaneous
generation" 1t was in his destruction OF that
fetch that the gates were opened 10 the
immeasurable good of antiseptic treatment. of
disinfection and of modern sanitary science
Finally. when at last he proclaimed the posi-
bility of curing and even preventing all germ
diseases through the application Of the biologi
cal principles which he had discovered, pande-
monium was loosed against him.
Amid II all he stood patient. serene and undis
mayed strong in simple Christian faith and in
the demonstrated truths of science. At the
beginning OF his public career he said OF silk
worms eggs These will hatch out sound, and
these will hatch out diseased lary@.' And 1t
was So Later. dealing with anthrax and with
hydrophoba, he said. These patients will
recover, and these will die" And 1t was So
Finally. looking upon the human race with the
discerning provision of him who looks from the
ground OF absolute truth. he said We shall
lone day learn TO Danish all germ diseases from
"the world" That time Is not yet. But this
very congress last week In session was proof Of
mems faith that 1t will come. Lister. teaching
the world to avoid and To destroy Infection;
Koch, discovering the germ nature OF the dead
liest diseases and devislng means of combating
them; Kitasato and Fraser and Calmette. and
many others working on the same lines, are
carrying Pasteurs principles into realms OF
which Pasteur himself perhaps did not dream
But all the value and all the spendor OF their
achievements are tributes to him. the great
pioneer and are steps toward the fufilment OF
his crowning prophecy. And the supreme tribute
comes in this worldwide demonstration against
tuberculosis. To-day the world IL organizing for
the banishrnent of the deadliest OF all germ dis
eases That Is the highest tribute 1t could pay
TO Louis Pasteur.