It should be said, however, that neither have the results arrived at by Pasteur respecting the character of rabies been so clear, nor have his experiments on subjects supposed to be poisoned with the disease been so successful as in the case of other maladies.  It remains, nevertheless, to award to Louis Pasteur the first rank among the bacteriologists of our day, as well as a first place among the philanthropists of the century.  Only Robert Koch, of Germany, is to be classed in the same list with him.

KOCH’S BATTLE WITH THE INVISIBLE ENEMY.

There was a great negative reason for the success of the World’s Columbian Exposition.  The cholera did NOT come!  It is quite true that there is no if in history; but IF the cholera had come, IF the plague had broken out in our imperial Chicago, what would have become of the Columbian Exposition?  Certainly the Man of Genoa would have had to seek elsewhere for a great international gathering in his honor.

The cholera did not arrive, although it was expected.  The antecedent conditions of its coming were all present; but it came not.  The American millions discerned that the dreaded plague was at bay; a feeling of security and confidence prevailed; the summer of 1893 went by, and not a single case of Asiatic cholera appeared west of the Alleghenies.  We are not sure that a single case appeared on the mainland of North America.  And why not?

It was because the increasing knowledge of mankind, reinforced with philanthropy and courage, had drawn a line north and south across Western Europe, and had said, Thus far and no farther.  Indeed, there were several lines drawn.  The movement of cholera westward from the Orient began to be obstructed even before it reached Germany.  It was obstructed in Italy.  It was obstructed seriously on the meridian of the Rhine.  It was obstructed almost finally at the meridian of London.  It was completely and gloriously obstructed at the harbor of New York.

Civilization has never appeared to a better advantage than in the building of her defences against the westward invasion of cholera.  There have been times within two decades of the present when in the countries east of the Red Sea 3000 people have died daily of the Asiatic plague.  Egypt has been ravaged.  The ports of the Mediterranean have been successfully invaded.  Commerce, reckless of everything except her own interests, has taken the infection on shipboard, and sailed with it to foreign lands, as though it were a precious cargo!  Importers, anxious for merchandise, have stood ready to receive the plague, and plant it without regard to consequences.  But in the midst of all this, a new power has arisen in the world, and standing with face to the east, has drawn a sword, before the circle of which even the spectral shadow of cholera has quailed and gone back!  Humanity might well break out in rhapsody and jubilee over this great victory.