The Message of Science. 99 



Perhaps nothing less than an engrossing common 

 motive, like that of the achievement of greatly prolonged 

 life, will suffice to unite and bind together the scattered 

 scientists of different countries. That motive, at least, 

 will prove the greatest incentive to united action. The 

 sublimity of the object and the personal stake of each and 

 all in the success of the endeavor would quite overshadow 

 the baser sentiment of jealousy between investigators. 

 The biological science of the twentieth century will be, 

 indeed, working for life's sake. This interest will become 

 universal and intense. Each fresh discovery, each new 

 application of remedial skill, will be flashed from conti- 

 nent to continent and be hailed with an ever growing 

 enthusiasm. 



When once the idea has gone world-wide that science 

 has good hopes not only of removing the causes of death, 

 but of so facilitating and perfecting nutrition by improved 

 food, that the struggle and stress of living will be lifted, 

 then will be exhibited an ardent desire to live, such as the 

 world lias never known. No longer to pant for breath, or 

 writhe beneath the torture of encroaching bacteria, will 

 ennoble life and endow it with a new and passionate 

 desire to live. We grow weary of living and resign our- 

 selves to death only because of the pain and hopelessness 

 of the struggle to breathe longer, — a struggle which will 

 cease in vital calm and rest when research teaches us how 

 nutrition takes place and what chemical substances are 



