1895-96.] 
Chairmans Opening Address. 
17 
lie was able, by a few simple directions, to put an end to the 
souring of wines and to the spoiling of beer and other products, 
and thus for the future prevented a loss of millions to his country. 
He next demonstrated that the belief in spontaneous generation 
was unfounded. As a direct result of Pasteur’s early publications, 
we all know what a revolution in Surgery was effected by Sir 
Joseph Lister. Again, in the destruction that threatened one of 
the great industries of France — silk-worm raising — Pasteur came 
to the rescue. Owing to the “ febrine ” disease in the worms, the 
production had fallen from 57,000,000 lbs. to 8,000,000 lbs., when 
he discovered the cause of the disease and indicated the remedy, 
which has since restored the industry to its former prosperity. 
Pasteur’s next triumph was over anthrax. At the time he began 
his researches, this disease had occasioned in the course of two 
years the death of 62,107 oxen, 534,245 sheep, and 2,196 horses. 
Having observed the fact that in man one attack of an infectious 
disease frequently renders an individual immune against a second, 
he prepared a vaccinating virus, capable of producing a mild form 
of anthrax in domestic animals, in the expectation that after 
recovery they would similarly be rendered immune. The experi- 
ments were crowned with success, and the resulting gain to 
agriculturists must be reckoned in millions of pounds sterling. 
Pasteur’s treatment of hydrophobia proceeded on the same 
principles. In his Institute, several thousands of persons bitten 
by animals believed to be rabid, have been treated, and the 
number of deaths has been only a little over one per cent. 
In concluding this imperfect retrospect, it only remains to 
congratulate the Society on its continued activity and prosperity. 
Zealous workers go to their honoured rest, and some of us that are 
left are no longer in the heyday of our strength ; but our ranks are 
always being recruited by younger seekers after truth, who will 
doubtless maintain and increase the reputation of the Society in 
the years to come. 
[The biographical notices and most of the short summaries of 
papers given in this Address were kindly prepared for me by our 
librarian, Mr Gordon. — J. G.] 
VOL. XXI. 5/3/96. 
B 
