The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-10-04
Scientific Deliberations of
Congress Were Complet-
ed Yesterday.
EXHIBITIONS OPEN
DURING THIS WEEK
Special Features, Beginning With
Labor Day, Are Planned IN
til the Close.

After a week OF acLNltAr a NeeA t-ieA1
will 20 down in the annals of scientific
progress as the greatest in history, the
great gathering OF scientists Of the
Sixth International Congress on Tuber-
culosis, was brought TO a close yeSter-
day afternoon at meeting at which
President Roosevelt. appearing uneN-
peotedIy and delivering a stirring lee
ture, SGT the delegates wild with en-
thusiasm-
Although the work Of the scientific
sections Of the congress is completed,
the exhibition section Of the congress
viii continue for another week. and
every day will be devoted to some spe-
cial feature. Today viii be labor
Day and some Of the most prominent
labor leaders in the country, including
Samuel GOmpers and John Mitchell
will make addresses.
Never in the history Of the world,
said a distinguished scientist last night,
has a meeting Of physicians been 50 pro-
ductive OF good for humanity Day
after day hundreds OF the brainiest
physicians Of the entire world gathered
IN the seven session rooms of the new
National Museum building, and while
thousands OF visitors were strOlling
through the nulttudiuous exhibits dis
cussed the mooted questions with which
they were struggling.
Presidents Visit
The appearance Of the President in
the midst Of the closing meeting of
the congress was without word of
warning. He walked down through the
crowded assembly hall. guarded by
Secret Service mcU,. and after the cheer
ing had died out delivered an address
which set the great gathering cheering
like mad. Ills speech scinUllated with
broad good humor, and far from dis
GUESSING the subject of the fight against
the disease IN a technical manner be
entered into q broad-viewed discussion
OF the work of She scientists i'm their
fcht against disease When he de-
,lared that doctors have laid down
-helr lives. showing as much heroIsm as
was. ever shown 10y soldiers on the field
OF battle" he was Cheerej again and
again by the congress, and was obliged
10 pause IN his speech until the claTnOr
subsidized.
The closing meeting Of the convention
was fraUEht with matters Of great sig
nificauce in the scientific world. The
dlscreditinE OF the theory TO which Or.
Robert Koch. Of Berlin, has held SO
tenaciously, that bovine bacilu rarely /
infect human beings, and the recognl- |
ton by the congress of the actually [
of bovine infection, was the startling
feature OF the day.
Death Blow to Theory.
A resolution adopted by the committee
on resolutions that preventive meas
inlres be continued against bovine tuber-
sculosis, and that the possibility Of the
propagation of this from man TO man
he recognized was a staggering blow
10 DR.. Koch's theory In fact. it means
that the congress Of scientists believes
that human beings are infected with
bovine bacilli. and that Dr. Koch is
wrong Incidentally, it shows that the
scientists have accepted the theory
Of DR.. Ladislaus Detre, the brilliant
young Hungarian physician, who dem
.onstrated that his diagnostic tests can
show whether a man is suffering from
one form of the bacim or the other.
That this action on the part of the
congress win have a far-reaching effect
upon the meat and dairy trade Of the
world, was not denied by physicians
last evening. It may be a severe blow
Ito the German meat trade, for that ma
rtion has steadily adhered TO the theories
.cnunciated by its great scientist, and
mas not regarded bovine infection as
ever, precautions have been taken
against the use and sale of tubercuIar
scattle. and the action OF the congress
was, in a way. a vindicauon Of Ameri-
can methods.
To Meet in Rome
The seventh International Congress on
Tuberculosis, three years hence. will be
held I'm Rome. A formal invitation from
through the italian ambassador. Baron
Mayor des Planches. was read at the
meeting yesterday. and accepted amid
loud cries of approval from the dele
gates. The congress will be held during
the celebration Of the fiftieth auniver-
sary Of the formation Of the italian
union, and the selection Of Rome as the
capital of the nation In a speech be-
fore the congress yesterday Chevalier
Dr. Antonio Stella, who heads the
italian delegation to the congress, said
that Rome ought to be acceptable 10
every one. and that the Italian King
was very anxious to have the scientists
hold their next triennial meeting in the
Eternal City.
Secretary Cortelyou, acting for the
President, called the meeting to order
and presided during the closing excr-
cises. The decision OF Rome as the
next meeting place was the first BUSH
ness, and that being out OF the way. the
report OF the committee on resolutions
was called for and read.
No Word of Protest.
Not a word OF opposition was heard
when Secretary Cortelyou paused for a
moment. and then declared the report OF
the committee 10 be the opinion of -he
congress. A tense silence overspread
the vast audience, and It was apparent
TO the hundreds OF scientists and dele
gates. as well as the visitors, that in
one OF those resolutions was a hard
blow 10 DR.. Koch and his theories. Then
the calling Of the representatives Of the
foreign nations in alphabetical order
was begun and Commissioner Macfar-
land spoke a word of parting to the
delegates on behalf Of the District Dr.
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