Show 108 STUDENT LIFE Worthy of mention and discussion are Benjamin Franklin Dalton the discoverer of the great fundamental law of modern chemistry “The law of other great scientists atomic combination ” Baron Cuvier Alexander on Humboldt Sir Humphrey Davey one of the greatest of chemists who though born of humble parentage in humble circumstances became one of the most illustrious men of his age and “accomplished discoveries and inventions such as have fallen to few of any age ” Darwin Agazziz Harvey Faraday Edison and others Space does not permit mention of all of these illustrious sons of science but I shall briefly mention the last three Today every school student of any ability can trace the circulation of the blood It seems very common now yet in 1619 Sir William Harvey an English physician made one of the greatest of scientific discoveries when he discovered the true circulation of the blood For centuries it was thought that the liver was the chief organ of circulation that the heart was only of that the secondary importance blood coursed through the heart due to suction by the veins and arteries that the arterial and venous circulation were separate the arterial being called the “spirit of life” and so on A simple thing now is our knowledge of the circulation and the heart yet Harvey’s discovery is one of the most important ever made in the science of medicine Still “seldom does the world think of its debts to some of the great men of science whose discoveries and inventions have done so much to promote its happiness” and its debt to this great English scientist whose discovery gave birth to modern medicine it remembers as infrequently as any Just a word now concerning Faraday the great investigator of magnetism and electricity the forerunner of Edison His life had such a humble beginning his early struggles and humiliations were so great and yet he conquered all obstacles and rose to a wondrous height on the ladder of fame “In his whole career there is so much to love” such splendid achievements to admire so much for humanity to be proud of and thankful for “Little wonder that his name and memory are held in honor” such as few have ever been And so the modern world has progressed in science From the earlier scientists spring Newton and Davy from Davy Faraday and from Farday we now have Thomas H Edison who “from the standpoint of progress is the most useful man in the world today His inventions have revolutionized civilization” His invention of the phonograph improved telephones his many inventions bearing on telegraphy and his adaptation of electric light for illuminating purposes are too well known to need discussion at my hands These and hundreds of other things — things which are revolutionizing civilization and adding untold comfort |