jSTovembee 8, 1895.] 



SCIENCE. 



611 



PASTEUR AS ILLUSTRATION OF MODERN 

 SCIENCE. 



Apart from the inspiring promises and 

 hopes of high science, every one should 

 realize clearly the direct practical value to 

 be derived in the daily intercourse of each 

 with nature, from a correct knowledge, 

 of even the most elementary, of the laws of 

 this world in which we are striving to live 

 happily. 



It is true that the advocates of science- 

 teaching can adduce other, perhaps far 

 nobler grounds, in pointing out the high 

 and symmetrical development, which the 

 study of science gives to the human intellect 

 and the vinfailing well-spring of pure pleas- 

 ure which it affords. 



But many of the older men now in power, 

 having never had any accurate training in 

 science, can scarcely appreciate such argu- 

 ments, and if capable of being reached at 

 all, it must be by proofs the most cogent of 

 the unfailing utility of elementary science, 

 and the stupendous wealth producing power 

 of high science. 



We cannot any longer afford to let chil- 

 dren grow up ignorant of all that is going 

 on around us in this beautiful world, with- 

 out learning to use eyes and reasoning 

 powers, because their parents may know 

 nothing accurately of the laws of physical, 

 but above all, of mental health. 



Fundamental principles and their com- 

 moner applications must now be universally 

 taught, if only to let every one realize how 

 now our modern science stands ready to 

 aid, to save, to satisfy, endangered or crav- 

 ing bodies or minds. 



Nor is it only to the mature mind that 

 the study of science is a pleasure. It has 

 been well said that nothing is more beauti- 

 fully characteristic of young children than 

 the desire to know the why and wherefore 

 of everything they see. This natural spirit 

 of inquiry needs only proper direction and 

 fostering care to give us great scientists, 



men who, like Pasteur, confer uncounted 

 millions of actual physical wealth on the 

 country or state so fortunate as to be 

 honored by their presence. 



The great jjractical difi&culty, however, in 

 regard to giving science the place every one 

 is beginning to see belongs to it, in element- 

 ary as well as advanced education, is that 

 it requires for success, teachers of far higher 

 order than those usually employed to drum 

 into young heads the dry old school routine. 

 No one can teach science who does not 

 know it. And for a teacher to have the 

 true informing spirit to vivify his book 

 knowledge, it is found almost uniformly 

 essential that he should have been in direct 

 personal contact with some one of those 

 great men whose joy it is to be able to ad- 

 vance the age in which they live, and lead 

 on mankind to unexpected victories in the 

 progressive conquest of the universe. 



To get our brightest young people so to 

 qualify themselves, it is needful thej' should 

 understand the surpassing dignity of science 

 and science teaching ; that in fact, of late 

 years, not only surprising discoveries are 

 coming on in crowds, but that whole new 

 sciences of world-remaking power are spring- 

 ing into existence around us. As one illus- 

 tration from many, take what has been 

 called bacteriology-. 



It is only a little more than 20 years ago 

 that the publication of Pasteur's papers on 

 alcoholic fermentation gave the first sound 

 basis for the idea that fermentation was 

 caused by a micro-organism. 



It is now demonstrated that all fermenta- 

 tions of this class are due to the development 

 of micro-organisms, and that bacteria are 

 most important factors in nature, being the 

 chief agents by which the complex organic 

 constituents of plants and animals are 

 brought back to simple forms capable of 

 serving again as food for plants. 



Following closely on Pasteur's early pub- 

 lications, and as a direct result of them, we 



