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showed how to cure the peltrine and flacherie of the silkworm ; 
and by indicating the cure, showed how to save the industries 
that were worth to Europe millions of pounds. But not satisfied 
to stop at this condition of lower life, after a painful time of 
inertness due to disease, he attacked the dire complaint jievre 
charbonense, the splenic fever of Russia. His experiments on 
animals, by means of mitigated inoculation, and his microscopic 
experiments, have reduced the cattle and sheep death-rate about 
ninety per cent. He has saved the Continental thinking-farmers 
millions of pounds. Fowl cholera and chicken croup he has 
almost extirpated, and now hopes—and I think with reason—to 
get rid of hydrophobia. 
Following in his footsteps, Dr. Ferran hopes to extirpate, or at 
any rate to successfully combat, Asiatic cholera. So the following 
generations must progressively benefit by the first discovery of 
the immortal Jenner. 
In Physiology the discovery of the law of osmosis is one of the 
grand moves in our century. The fact that an animal membrane 
welted on both sides, and having on either side fluids of different 
densities, offers no obstacle to their complete mixture, has laid 
the foundation of research in all matters having to do with the 
phenomena of digestion, respiration, and the general passage of 
fluids through the tissues of the whole animal economy. 
The discovery of the laws of the correlation of the vital 
forces has also proved one of the most brilliant triumphs of 
our time. 3 
Within the last few years we have the invention of the 
freezing microtome, now within the last few months made so 
easy by the substitution of bichloride of methylene for ordinary 
ether. One other discovery, not only useful in physiological 
experiments, but also for some painless surgery, is that of hydro- 
chlorate of cacaine, for the production of local anesthesia. 
It is impossible to even note all advances ; their name is legion, 
and I regret I have had only space to give what I call samples. 
The advancement of the accuracy of instruments is marvellous. 
Pasteur has found out his wonders by the aid of the improved 
microscope. The plunging of the object glass into the fluid that 
contains the specimen, and the elevation of the microscopical 
power, must have enormous value. The art of grinding glasses, 
