A Journey in Other Worlds [30]
Sylvia, wearing his flowers and looking more beautiful than
any of them, arrived with her mother and father, and Bearwarden,
whom they knew very well.
"How are the exams getting on, Miss Preston?" Bearwarden asked.
"Pretty well," she replied, with a smile. "We had English
literature yesterday, and natural history the day before. Next
week we have chemistry and philosophy."
"What are you taking in natural history?" asked Bearwarden, with
interest.
"Oh, principally physical geography, geology, and meteorology,"
she replied. "I think them entrancing."
"It must be a consolation," said Ayrault, "when your best hat is
spoiled by rain, to know the reason why. Your average," he
continued, addressing Sylvia, "was ninety in the semi-annuals,
and I haven't a doubt that the finals will maintain your record
for the year."
"Don't be too sure," she replied. "I have been loafing awfully,
and had to engage a 'grind' as a coach."
After dinner they went to the play, where they saw a presentation
of Society at the Close of the Twentieth Century, which Sylvia
and Ayrault enjoyed immensely.
A few days after the Delmonico dinner, while Bearwarden,
Cortlandt, and Ayrault sat together discussing their plans, the
servant announced Ayrault's family physician, Dr. Tubercle
Germiny, who had been requested to call.
"Delighted to see you, doctor," said Ayrault, shaking hands.
"You know Col. Bearwarden, our President, and Dr. Cortlandt--an
LL. D., however, and not a medico."
"I have had the pleasure," replied Dr. Germiny, shaking hands
with both.
"As you may be aware, doctor," said Ayrault, when they were
seated, "we are about to take a short trip to Jupiter, and, if
time allows, to Saturn. We have come to you, as one familiar
with every known germ, for a few precautionary suggestions and
advice concerning our medicine-chest."
"Indeed!" replied Dr. Germiny, "a thorough knowledge of
bacteriology is the groundwork of therapeutics. It is
practically admitted that every ailment, with the exception of
mechanical injuries, is the direct result of a specific germ; and
even in accidents and simple fractures, no matter what may be the
nature of the bruise, a micro-organism soon announces its
presence, so that if not the parent, it is the inseparable
companion, in fact the shadow, of disease. Now, though not the
first cause in this instance, it has been indubitably proved,
that much of the effect, the fever and pain, are produced and
continued by the active, omnipresent, sleepless sperm. Either
kill the micrococcus or heal the wound, and you are free from
both. It being, therefore, granted that the ills of life are in
the air, we have but to find the peculiar nature of the case in
hand, its habits, tastes, and constitution, in order to destroy
it. Impoverish the soil on which it thrives, before its arrival,
if you can foresee the nature of the inoculation to which you
will be exposed, by a dilute solution of itself, and supply it
only with what it particularly dislikes. For an already
established tubercle requiring rapid action of the blood, such as
may well exist among the birds and vertebrates of Jupiter and
Saturn, I suggest a hypodermic rattlesnake injection, while
hydrocyanic acid and tarantula saliva may also come in well. The
combinations that so long destroyed us have already become our
panacea."
"I see you have these poisons at your fingers' ends," said
Ayrault, "and we shall feel the utmost confidence in the remedies
and directions you prescribe."
They found that, in addition to their medicine-chest, they would
have to make room for the following articles, and also many more:
six shot-guns (three double-barrel 12-bores, three magazine
10-bores,) three rifles, three revolvers; a large supply of
ammunition (explosive and solid balls), hunting-knives,
fishing-tackle, compass, sextant, geometrical instruments, canned
food for forty days, appliance for renewing air, clothing, rubber
boots, apergetic apparatus,
any of them, arrived with her mother and father, and Bearwarden,
whom they knew very well.
"How are the exams getting on, Miss Preston?" Bearwarden asked.
"Pretty well," she replied, with a smile. "We had English
literature yesterday, and natural history the day before. Next
week we have chemistry and philosophy."
"What are you taking in natural history?" asked Bearwarden, with
interest.
"Oh, principally physical geography, geology, and meteorology,"
she replied. "I think them entrancing."
"It must be a consolation," said Ayrault, "when your best hat is
spoiled by rain, to know the reason why. Your average," he
continued, addressing Sylvia, "was ninety in the semi-annuals,
and I haven't a doubt that the finals will maintain your record
for the year."
"Don't be too sure," she replied. "I have been loafing awfully,
and had to engage a 'grind' as a coach."
After dinner they went to the play, where they saw a presentation
of Society at the Close of the Twentieth Century, which Sylvia
and Ayrault enjoyed immensely.
A few days after the Delmonico dinner, while Bearwarden,
Cortlandt, and Ayrault sat together discussing their plans, the
servant announced Ayrault's family physician, Dr. Tubercle
Germiny, who had been requested to call.
"Delighted to see you, doctor," said Ayrault, shaking hands.
"You know Col. Bearwarden, our President, and Dr. Cortlandt--an
LL. D., however, and not a medico."
"I have had the pleasure," replied Dr. Germiny, shaking hands
with both.
"As you may be aware, doctor," said Ayrault, when they were
seated, "we are about to take a short trip to Jupiter, and, if
time allows, to Saturn. We have come to you, as one familiar
with every known germ, for a few precautionary suggestions and
advice concerning our medicine-chest."
"Indeed!" replied Dr. Germiny, "a thorough knowledge of
bacteriology is the groundwork of therapeutics. It is
practically admitted that every ailment, with the exception of
mechanical injuries, is the direct result of a specific germ; and
even in accidents and simple fractures, no matter what may be the
nature of the bruise, a micro-organism soon announces its
presence, so that if not the parent, it is the inseparable
companion, in fact the shadow, of disease. Now, though not the
first cause in this instance, it has been indubitably proved,
that much of the effect, the fever and pain, are produced and
continued by the active, omnipresent, sleepless sperm. Either
kill the micrococcus or heal the wound, and you are free from
both. It being, therefore, granted that the ills of life are in
the air, we have but to find the peculiar nature of the case in
hand, its habits, tastes, and constitution, in order to destroy
it. Impoverish the soil on which it thrives, before its arrival,
if you can foresee the nature of the inoculation to which you
will be exposed, by a dilute solution of itself, and supply it
only with what it particularly dislikes. For an already
established tubercle requiring rapid action of the blood, such as
may well exist among the birds and vertebrates of Jupiter and
Saturn, I suggest a hypodermic rattlesnake injection, while
hydrocyanic acid and tarantula saliva may also come in well. The
combinations that so long destroyed us have already become our
panacea."
"I see you have these poisons at your fingers' ends," said
Ayrault, "and we shall feel the utmost confidence in the remedies
and directions you prescribe."
They found that, in addition to their medicine-chest, they would
have to make room for the following articles, and also many more:
six shot-guns (three double-barrel 12-bores, three magazine
10-bores,) three rifles, three revolvers; a large supply of
ammunition (explosive and solid balls), hunting-knives,
fishing-tackle, compass, sextant, geometrical instruments, canned
food for forty days, appliance for renewing air, clothing, rubber
boots, apergetic apparatus,