The Washington times., 1916-01-26

paralysis and with Noguchls 3
discovery OF the germ that causcs
rabies, additional links are forged IN
the chain of micro -paraStology, un-
dreamed of by the forefathers OF this
science.
The discover OF germ after germ
followed so rapidly, IN fact, thai the
last strongholds of prejudice and mis-
guided opposition were soon beacen
down before the indisputable proof that
diseases, in great part, are due to mi
crobes.
First, the causes OF anthrax. then ty-
phold and, in turn, tuberculosis, pneu-
monia. glanders, eryslpelas and most or
the commoncr maladies yielded TO the
tirelesS industry and painstaking re-
searches OF the interchangeable labora-
tory workers. AS death-concealins
mists along rock bound coasts disap-
pear in the light of the MONDAY sun;
as the glare OF electric street lamps
eliminate the footpad and the highway
| man. so scientists have penetrated the
gloomy dungeons OF disease. and ny
their discoveries have exposed to light
one bacterium after another.
The stone wall of human and anlnai
ailments. caused by other than plan;
microbes, seemed to bring DaCterioio-
| gists to a pause. No matter what they
| did, or how man., gelatine masks or test
tubes OF blood serum they inoculated
with suspicious material from malaria,
tropical dysentcries. relapsinE fever,
| and many other infectious troubles. no.
| further progress seemingly was made.
| From about 1898. the period of the
birth of such boons as the anti-toXin OF
| diphtheria and Iockiaw, baCterioloEists
| of marvellous skill worked zealousiy
| yet iurther contributions to the discov-
| cry Of the mcrobic causes of diseases
| were sporadic.
| The Ceascless War.
| DR.. Lavcron. n French army surgeon
| observed in 1880 certain non-bacteriaI
| parasites in the rcd blood corpuscles
! of malarial soldiers in Algicrs. but his
| recognition of them as non-vegetable
| or animal parasites induced few In
| vestigators to seek for similar causes ol
| other little understood malad!es.
Tho hiatus In this fertile field lasted
however. but u short time. Soon dis
covery followed discovery with kanGa
| roo strides. Roux and Won Behring. II
| 1885. delivered us from the bondage o.
| fatal Group diphtheria by their dis
cOvery OF antitoXins. Loose and Masor
discovered the embryonic stages o.
malaria-the aph"les species. Reed
Farrcl. and AGrinontc demonstrated
that the MOSQUITO is a source Of yellow
fever. Vaughn. Hamilton and other!
showed that the housefy spreads ty
phoid. Flexner produced an anti
menin gifts serum. Sir Almoth
Wright discovered that the dead bac
taroa OF typhoid erysipelas, pneu
monis blood poisoning ana other com
mon infections can be made into pre-
Vontive vaccine as cfticaCious as Vacci
| nation for smallpox.
Dozens Of other revolutionary bless
! ings to mankind have followed thicl
! and fast within the past fifteen years
as result of when the average spar
of human life has been greatly length
ened. In fact. so far as infectious dis
eases are concerned, 1t may be safel!
said that the man who had a probable
chance a decade and a half ago o
! rea ching only thirty years of age. ha
a far greater chance today of reachint
forty-fiVe.
In 1893 Prof Loeffier. one Of the grea
pioneers whose name will be foreVe
linked with the discovery OF tn
bacillus of diphtheria. hit upon