THE H ES PERI AN.
Cncsar pitched lor the Romans and was very effective. Ar
istotle got his base on balls, and Plato coached in his own no
culinr style, "Whether, now indeed when on the one hand ac
cordingly the pitcher draws back his arm, do you at least lead
oil; but if however on the contrary indeed (or as it may be
elegantly rendered, os is well known,') he throws the ball,
look out. Therefore as it seems to me, now yer olT, now
ycr off, SLIDE!" And Aristotle got his base.
Wc cannot describe the game in detail. There was kick
ing throughout. Juvenal made n three bagger to right field,
but Aristophanes came in, remarking that he knew something
about Birds, and if that wasn't a foul, he would ; but Cati
line fined him ten drachmae for abusing the umpire. Horace
muffed an easy fly, but explained that "dcr sun was in my
eyes; I couldn't sec der ball." The irrepressible Aristophanes
immediately yelled that the sky was full of clouds, but a yell
of "Rodcntcs!" from the Romans quieted him. Herodotus
made a beautiful home run, but bragged that it was nothing
to a hit he once made in Egypt, where the ball had gone over
two pyramids and disappeared down the throat of the god
Isis, "thus ending the game," he added naively. Cicero
was hit by the ball, although he implored Cimon to be care
ful in his delivery. As he took his base he murmured some
thing about "Jam dudttm hortor" "He called me a jam
dude!" yelled Cimon, making a wild rush for the stately ora
tor. But the fight was averted. Cicero and Alcibiadcs were
darlings on third, although 'monkey business played its part
in their conduct. Juvenal kicked all the time. Euripides
was garrulous; Eschylus forgot all about the game, and
awakened the ire of his companions; Clcon caught a "grand
stand" game; Brutus made a sacrifice hit; Tacitus played a
steady game; una so wetter.
THE PATHO-BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY.
European governments have long recognized the fact that
to a nation's prosperity it is absolutely necessary that spe
cial steps be taken towards investigation into the causes and
nature of infectious and contagious diseases of men anil ani
mals. The need of institutions for this purpose is, therefore,
very apparent in a country like our own whose wealth consists
largely in its live stock. It is also very apparent that such
stations should be for investigation only, and not for instruc
tion, with the exception, perhaps, of persons especially de
tailed to take a part in State preventive Medicine. It was the
recognition of this necessity by our Board of Regents which
prompted themtotakethc step they have, and wc believe that
their'undertaking has thus far been exceptionally fortunate.
Dr. F. S. Billings has been appointed permanent director
of the station. This gentleman is a graduate of the Imperial
Veterinary school of Prussia and a student of the University
of Prussia medical department from which institution he
refused to graduate. At present his laboratory is in room 34,
of the main building. It is completely filled up with the ne
cessary instruments for all work pertaining to the science, al
though, needless to say, the room is much too small. It also
has a complete set of instruments for the use of a hospital of
a veterinary school, which it is much hoped the legislature
will provide at its next session, for very obvious reasons. All
of these instruments have lately been purchased by the Uni
versity at a cost of nearly $2,500. We thus have the satisfac
tion of knowing that the station is to permanent one.
A few words as as to its origin and its work up to the pres
ent time: It was first established at the suggestion of the state
board of" agriculture. Dr. Billings was employed, though he
was then given no permanent position. The primary object
of his work was the investigation of hog cholera alone. The
bacteria of this disease had been discovered by Dr. Dctmcrs
as long ago as 1880, but through the neglect of the Industrial
Bureau had been allowed to lapse into forgctfulucss. Though
he has been much hampered by lack of suitable accommoda
tions for material used in his experiments, he has finally suc
ceeded in placing Dr. Detmcis' discoveries again before the
public on a firm basis -at any rate so far as the state of Neb
raska is concerned. At the same time he has added many
new facts of value. More important, however, than the re
discovery of the cause is the establishment of the fact by
him that the disease is a contagious and not an infectious one,
as heretofore held by all observers. This gives rise to an en
tirely new method of procedure on the part of those inter
ested in the prevention ol animal diseases in, the state. He
has further demonstrated that hog cholera can be prevented
by a process of vaccination, but whether he can devise means
for turning his discovery to the practical benefit of the farmer
depends, he says, largely upon the disposition of the author
ities to provide accommodation for his materials used in ex
pcrimental research.
Of late other animal diseases have been claiming his attention.
He has made an important, though not entirely satisfactory,
investigation into a disease ol cattle at Crete, this state; and
is now engaged upon one which has caused great mortality of
cattle and horses over the entire country. He has examined
material from all parts of the United States and finds that the
micro-organ isms arc in every case the same; and that only by
the aid of a microscope and by a peculiar treatment can the
lesions be distinguished from consumption in cattle and glan
ders in horses. He has already classified the causes of the
disease. On account of the uncertainty of the nature of its
parasite and its place in the botanical kingdom he has sent
material to the heads of all the great European stations,thcre
being none in this country with whom he could consult.
At a convenient time the laboratory will issue a report of
these investigations. It will be complete in every respect,
and, we venture to say, will be a valuable contribution to the
literature of the science. It will be illustrated with plates
made especially for the purpose.
The station proving a success, it is the further purpose of
those in authority to establish a laboratory for special instruc
tion of physicians or graduate veterinarians who may be con
nected with the state sanitary sen-ice and who have the ne
cessary learning and the recommendation of boards of health
or state authorities. . One other condition of the reception of
these is that they do original investigation assigned to them
and make reports upon the same, these reports to become
the property of the University for publication together with
other reports ol the laboratory.
At present w believe this institution enjoys the distinction
of being the only American university which possesses an ex
perimental station of this kind. If (he necessary buildings
can be obtained in conjunction with the advantages offered by
the College Farm it will have the farther distinction of being
quite a perfect station; one which there is every reason to
believe will eventually equal any of those of Europe, both in
completeness of outfit and in quality of work done.
Aside from the advantage of apparatus, the laboratory has
the equally valuable one of literature upon the subject. Dr.
Billings' private library is the best of its kind in America. It
contains some 11,000 volumes, printed in almost every Euro
pean language.many of them exceedingly rare and valuable.lt
is complete in every thing pertaining to Medicine, Veterinary
Mcdicine.Bacteriology and the Doctor's specialty, Pathology.
With such means for success wc believe that the experiinen-