FAILURE OF MEDICAL SCIENCE. 69 



limited in the common acceptation of the one word "de- 

 cay. " But what is decay ? The visible result of fermen- 

 tation. And what is fermentation? The phenomena 

 produced in organic matter by the action of microbes. 



In this consideration, and for all practical purposes, it 

 is quite immaterial to know the peculiarity of the mi- 

 ci'obe that we find in any particular instance. It may 

 be interesting to the close observer to watch the forms 

 and mode of evolution of these little creatures, and it 

 may be satisfactory so to differentiate their forms and 

 habits as to be able to classify and to name them. But 

 this does not affect the mode of cure. A microbe is a 

 microbe. The same treatment affects them, the same 

 curative agent kills them, whatever their form or what- 

 ever be the effects which they produce. The only dif- 

 ference that we notice is in regard to time, some ail- 

 ments being more readily reached than others. 



It is not of so much consequence to the farmer to know 

 what weeds are in his cornfield, as it is to learn the best 

 means of cutting them down and keeping them out of 

 his crops. He need not be a botanist. He does not re- 

 quire to know the natural order and the generic and 

 specific names of a plant before he puts the hoe to it ; 

 nor does he pause to learn the construction of its fibres 

 and the character of its cells. He merely recognizes it 

 as a noxious plant, and he destroys it. Neither is it of 

 much consequence to him to know that weeds are not 

 all alike. It is enough to be sure that they are weeds, 

 and he applies the same remedy to get them out of the 

 way. If his crops look yellow, or show evidences of 

 rust and disease, he does not go to his study, to his 

 microscope and his books, in order to satisfy himself 

 "what sort of microbe or fungus it is that is endangering 

 his property, but he goes to work in a practical manner 

 io cure the disease and to rid himself of the pest. It is not 

 necessary to learn the particular character of the fungi 

 that he sees on his plants, his fences, his timber, or his 

 house ; all he wants is to be convinced that they are 

 there and that they are injurious, and he immediately 



