Koch’s Bacillus: Was There a Technological Fix?

Abstract

As is well known, international congresses of scientists and scholars may be the occasion for the formal announcement of an important breakthrough in knowledge, or a report on some well-established achievement, as well as the opportunity for the social exchange and cultural development of participants. And though international meetings may be welcomed by the host city, the public does not ordinarily attend the working sessions or become involved in the scientific controversies that occasionally erupt. International congresses were in some respects similar a hundred years ago, but the ordinary citizen of that time found them more interesting, and frequently attended sessions in the gallery or back of the room, later commenting on the conduct of participants and the significance of the discussion.