The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-12-31
IN MEDICINE.
short Review Of the Great Medical hevo-
buttons Of the Past Century.
Froyn Moshey's Moo0Stns.

From Moshev's Magazine.
just before the beginning OF the nine
tenth century an epoch-making discovery
was made by an English country physician
that foreshadowed the greatest advances
that were to be mad during h next
hundred years In medicine. Edward Jen-
ner 074s-1s23), finding a tradition among
milkmaids in his native Gloucestershire
that those who had suffered from q disease
called cowpox, caught from an eruption on
the cows udders did not afterward contract
SMALLPOX, investigated the matter. He
found that cowpox was probably an animal
modification Of human smallpox, and he
suggested the introduction Of vaccination,
that is incubation with the virus Of cowpox
In order TO produce immunity to smallpox.
At the end Of the eighteenth century his
practical application Of a chance discovery
anticipated such ideas as immunity, pro-
lection and modification Of disease. that
are now, at the beginning Of the twentieth
century, topics Of acutest interest In the
most promising department OF medicine.
At the beginning Of the nineteenth CEN
tury the impression was very general that
most Of the symptoms Of disease were due
to living causes. As nothing was known
OF the minute germs of disease IL was con-
cluded that worms in the intestinal tract
were a frequent cause OF otherwise mex
plicable symptoms. A great number OF
prescriptions for the removal OF worms
we're in use. The vermifuges, as they are
called. were the most popular family rem
edies.
Supposedly scientific medicine at this
time was occupied with the thought that
disease was due TO a change in one Of the
humors Of the body, the blood, the lymph
or the bile. During the first few years
the teaching OF the eminent Frenchman
Bichat 077i-lsO2) did much to counteract
this false notion He showed that most
diseases were due TO changes in special
tissues.
The first TO take advantage Of Bichat's
teaching and apply II seriously TO prac-
tical medicine was another Frenchman.
Laennec u7si-ls26). Laennec found that
the heart ard the lungs he could tell much
OF the character of the ailments from which
these organs suffered. This was an eS-
tremely important advance in diagnosis. Al
first Laennec applied his ear directly TO
the chest. During his Investigations into
diseases Of that part OF the body, a young
woman was admitted TO the benefit OF lls
service at the Necker Hospital In Paris.
In order to save hor modesty he did not
apply his ear directly 10 her chest, but
used a roll Of paper as tube to convey the
sound from the chest TO his ear. This was
the first ~stethpscope. and the invention OF
an instrument that has proved Of very great
service in the accurate detection OF lung
and heart diseases.
After Laennec the most important work
on a special organ was lone In England
by Richard Bright G7s9-is5s), who showed
that certain symptoms. and especially
dropsy, were connected with changes in
the kidneys. Bright's work was very COM
plete in It's way and since then tho degen-
erative kidney affections have been called
BriRht's disease.
A revolution in medical thought with
regard to the basis Of disease was preparing.
Theodor Schwann nsi0-iSs2l, a German
professor in the Catholic University at
10uvain. showed that the tissues OF all
animals, Ike those Of plants, are composed
Of distinct minute portions separated from
one another, which he called cells The
study Of cells and cell life aoon he'd 20 better
knowledge Of the intimate constitution OF
organs and Of the manner in which their
functions are performed.
Another famous German, Nirchow.
uS2l- y, the father Of cellular pathology,
as he In called, showed, about the middle Of
the century, that II IL not the organ as a
that are affected 10y disease, but the
cells Of which the organs are composed.
Not all Of he cells are affected, but differ
ones IN different disease. This was
the now idea that was 70 rvOlutionlze
pathology Ten years before Nircbow's
discoveries. the great medical men OF
Vienna were teaching that disease was due
TO changes In tho body humors.
Another great change In medicine Wa
effected bv the illustrious Frenchnan.
Par'aur uS?2-isa5l, shortly after \ir-
= first work was published. Pa-teur
that certain diseases In animals,
later. Cer,ain diseases In human To-
in y also, ar. due to the presence Of minute
germs. which are called bacteria.
Pasteur's work represents some OF the most
valuahl" advances In medicine
turing the whol" century
Another distinguished Frenchman was
gp AT original work ~ medicine
a,utif N" zane time. 1hr was Claude
Bernard uslS-is7si. who taught us the
function of the Guctless gland AID n NUM-
tsr 81 N" important physiDlugicsl truths
with r.gard 90 the nervous system and
neryour ufsKes hat enahie us 20 under
the intimate symfeihy 'hst exists
i=tW'en all portions ~ the body.
Llrd Lister, following closely the work
10y Pasisur With regard 90 the eS-
u g-rn- In the air that csuse fer
=ugs' sted the employment q
me-; hods ~ prevent ihess germs from get
Ing iIto wounds the antrsptic trat- I
nsni 1his made pussible The great sd-
in ruIseTy a. th" end - tho nine
I..uth uun'uty