EDITORIAL. 109 



a preventable disease, he pointed a way to combat and to reduce the 

 most fatal affliction of man and beast. With the discovery of tuber- 

 culin, a most valuable method of early diagnosis of tuberculosis in 

 man and animal was added to our combative equipment. The appli- 

 cation of the tuberculin test in cattle has made practical the isolation 

 of infected from uninfected animals, provided means against its 

 spread, and greatl}^ reduced the possible source of transmission of the 

 disease from beast to man. In some localities in the United States, 

 England, and Germany the mortality from the white plague has 

 already been reduced to nearly one-half of what it Avas prior to 

 Koch's discovery of the tubercle bacillus. His investigations of an- 

 thrax and rinderpest have also resulted in* great benefits to man and 

 to animal industry. 



The record of the work of such a man as Koch is his greatest and 

 most lasting monument, but the honors accorded him on all sides 

 show the high regard in which he was held. He w^as an honorary 

 member of nearly all the great scientific societies of the world, re- 

 ceived honorary titles and degi'ees from German and foreign uni- 

 versities, and was decorated by nearly all the monarchs of Europe 

 and by the Emperor of Japan. The German Government recentl}' 

 made him a privy councillor w^ith the title of Excellency. He was 

 awarded the Nobel prize in medicine in 1905, 



In his death the whole world has lost a master, one whose name will 

 remain for time on the roll of the great in science. 



