New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1909-06-02

sistant was stricken, and DR.. Muller
could then have saved himself by.
ceasing his studies. He chose rather to
observe the course Of the disease In
order that he might make scientific
record, though knowing full well that
to do SO would mean almost inevitably
his own death. He took the chance
and paid the price. Science was the
gamer, and the goal of overcoming one
more enemy Of man was that much.
nearer
that cholera is contagious German
physician, Pettenkofer, combated the
theory and offered to prove his conten-
tion by consuming the germs. At first
he seemed successful, but on later
experiment demonstrated that Koch
was right and himself wrong and paid
the penalty with his life.
Among the most heroic of the sol
diers Of truth are those that visit leper
colonies. The name of Father Damien
Devenster, Belgian priest, who was
also physician, is high on the roll
He not only went into leper colony
and ministered to the unfortunates,
but devoted the remainder of his life
to stirring up the government to care
for the disease, proving that it was
susceptible to treatment. Both he and
his successor became lepers and finally
died from the aftliction, but they made
such progress that Father Damien
could say from his deathbed: '.The
cause of the lepers is now that Of hui
mainly. am no longer needed here"
Another volunteer in behalf of the
lepers showed a like heroism, but for
tunately did not meet the same tragic
ending, although at one time sores did
appear on his hands, and he thought
himself doomed. They afterward went
away, however, though leaving their
marks. The man is DR.. Eugene H.
Plumacher, American consul to Mara
caibo, Venezuela. He not only photo
graphed many cases and made an ex-
haustive report In the interests of sci
ence, but experimental with a secret
medicine, obtaining favorable results.
In one case that he receunts his we'll
meant efforts came out disastrously.
A former president of certain state
had become leper, but was allowed
to remain at his home. DR.. Puma
cher's treatment Of this patient was so
successful that it was reported he
would recover. Thereupon his enemies,
who had come into power, decided to
deport him to the leper colony. On
hearing this the victim shot himself.
The Everyday Heroes.
Heroism in the medical profession
is by no means confined to the con-
spicuous cases Of those who risk life
in some world noted experiment. 1t is
shown in an almost equal degree by
surgeons at hospitals, who run con-
slant danger Of blood poisoning, and
by ordinary physicians, who are under
the same danger and who also are in
peril Of contagion and infection. Two
noted cases of physicians that died
from blood poisoning contracted while
operating are those of DR.. Charles
Thomas Hunter of the Pennsylvania
Medical school and DR.. Leslie M.
Sweetman Of Toronto, both receiving
the deadly germs through slight
scratches in the hand. Other cases of
blood poisoning from similar causes,
many of the attacks proving fatal, are
those Of DR.. John Wilson Gibbs of
New York, who was bitten on the
hand by raving patient; DR.. George
King. one Of the most prominent ply
sicians on Long Island, who succumbed
through scratching his neck after he
had performed an operation; DR.. An
drew ]. McCosh Of New York, infected
by patient through a. slight abrasion
on the hand; DR.. Bowling Benjamin Of
Camden, N. j.. who was bitten while
trying to open the throat of a young
child with membranous Group; DR..
Charles Carroll Lee, president of the
County Medical society Of New York;
DR.. e. w. Burnette, also of New York;
DR.. John M. Byron, the bacteriologist,
and scores of others.
The cases Of heroism in the cause Of
science are not confined to the medical
profession. They extend all the way
down the ages from Galilei, who went
to Jail because he insisted that the
world is round, to Professor Matteuci,
who underwent grave peril to make
scientific observations Of the great
eruption Of Mount Vesuvius a few
years ago. The other fine examples
are those of Benjamin Franklin, who
risked his life in the famous kite ex-
pertinent by which he proved that
lightning is identical with electricity,
and William Thomas Green Morton,
the American dentist who discovered
the use Of ether in surgical operations
and who established that it is not fatal
by experimenting with it upon himself.
Happily in none Of these celebrated in
stances was the supreme sacrifice Of