THE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE 
103 

ROBERT 
fire from achievement to achievement, 
he made his own age preeminent over 
all the ages that have gone before for 
advances in the exact knowledge of the 
causation ana prevention of infectious 
diseases. Rarely, so 
many discoveries of such decisive im- 
portance to mankind emanated from 
the activities of one person; yet he 
served with all humility of mind. He 
simply tried to do his duty, being, as 
he said, fortunate to find sometimes 
the gold among the gravel of the road 
which is open to every one. When we 
consider the 
owes to Robert Koch and the endless 
and inestimable blessing which has 
come to mankind through his work 
if ever, have 
advancement medicine 
and life, there comes an overpowering 
sense of admiration, 
gratitude.” 
reverence and 
KocH, 
SCIENTIFIC tTEMS 
WE record with regret the deaths of 
Dr. George Frederic Barker, emeritus 
professor of physics in the University 
of Pennsylvania; of General Cyrus 
Ballou Comstock, U. 8S. A. (retired), 
the eminent engineer; of Professor 
William P. Blake, known for his con- 
tributions to of Professor 
Stanislau the distin- 
guished Italian chemist, and of Lieu- 
tenant Boyd Alexander, the African 
explorer. 
geology ; 
Cannizzaro, 
New York UNIversiry has given 
its doctorate of laws to Dr. Henry 
Muicehell MaeCracken, who retires from 

| the chancellorship of the university.— 
Sir David Gill, K.C.B., F.R.S., has been 
appointed a knight of the Prussian 
Order of Merit.—Lord Rayleigh has 
| been promoted from a corresponding to 
