ACT 1 - DR. LOUIS PASTEUR
‘Exalted are the forces of darkness’ – Author unknown
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ACT I - HONORED GUEST?
Meet Dr. Louis Pasteur - (Dec. 27, 1822 - Sept. 28, 1895) who was a French biologist, microbiologist, and chemist renowned for his discoveries of the principles of vaccination, microbial fermentation, and pasteurization.
It was Pasteur who first connected microorganisms with the disease, thus founding the modern science of bacteriology or using a more general term - microbiology.
This came about through Pasteur's concern with something that seemed an industrial problem rather than a medical one.
In the 1860s, the French silk industry was being ruined by a disease of silkworms.
Pasteur, having already rescued France's winemakers, was put to work on this problem as well. Again making inspired use of the microscope, as he had in studying asymmetric crystals and varieties of yeast cells. Pasteur found microorganisms infecting the sick silkworms and the mulberry leaves on which they fed. He recommended that all infected worms and leaves be destroyed and a fresh start be made with the uninfected worms and leaves that remained. This drastic step was taken, and it worked.
Pasteur did much more with these researches than merely to revive the silk industry. He generalized his conclusions and enunciated the Germ Theory of Disease - without question the greatest single medical discovery ever made.
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ACT I - LOCATION / YEAR - Paris, France - 1889
EVENT - The Universal Exposition of?1889?(Exposition Universelle de?1889)?was?a highly successful international?exhibition?and one of the few?world's fairs?to make a profit. Its central attraction?was?the Eiffel Tower, a 300-meter high marvel of iron by Gustave Eiffel. L'Histoire de l'Habitation Humane was meant to record human history for future generations?
ACT I - NOTABLE ATTENDEES – Thomas Edison, Henry James, Nikola Telsa, Vincent Van Gogh, Shah of Persia, Alberto Santos-Dumont, Robert Louis Stevens, Otto Van Bismarck, Tzar Alexander II, Carlo Collodi, and Arthur Conan Doyle among 32,259,297 others from the far reaches of the world.
ACT I - SCENE SET UP - Our investigative foursome - have just arrived at the Hotel Ritz, in Paris France located within a few cobblestone corners of the recently completed Le Grand Eiffel Tower.
Mr. Holmes has agreed to meet with Dr. Pasteur and assist him with a most aggravating experimental glitch that if unveiled - could lead to the sheer brink of a monumental discovery that would result with saving the lives of millions upon millions of people worldwide. _________________________________________________
“Miss Liberty allow me to assist you down from the coach, lend me your hand, careful now, the horses may become spooked from those bloody anarchistic motor convertibles.”
“It has indeed been a most eventful excursion thus far, no Miss Liberty? What beautiful countryside from the luxury of Pierre de Steam Railroad, LLC?”
“Indeed Mr. Holmes,” catching her breathe while brushing herself off with what remaining sunlight remained from the setting sun, “it was extraordinary to have finally met Sigmund Freud at the penultimate Stop N Snack Steam Shack Depot,” while flashing a sly smile towards Sherlock’s handsome face.
“And what a court jester that most charming Buffalo Bill Cody was and his sharpshooting cowgirl sidekick, Anne Oakley. You know she reminded me of an early version of Dolly Parton. So typical are today’s selected free-spirited American-based millennial insurrectionists.”
While looking around the modern city highlighted by the recently installed electrical streetlights, “Everyone who is anyone must be present. Look at all these people bumping and dodging one another as if we're at Disneyland in Anaheim, Southern California circa the summer of 2019. Ext-ordinary! Toby, wake up. Come on down puppy, I’m sure you’ll experience smells in Paris, that you’ve not yet sniffed before. We’re finally here, Toby!”
Yawning slowly while stretching his long red-brown colored fur back, Toby slowly lifts his head up towards Ms. Liberty standing out of the taxi, and woofs, “Thank you, Miss Liberty. Mr. Watson, please bring with you my Mull of Kintyre milk bone treats. I believe they are partly hidden behind the sit and sleep irritating spring seat.”
“Aaah, yes N-deed … here they are Toby. I’ll have the consignor deliver them to your suite.”
“Thank you, Mr. Watson,” with his tail-wagging left to right, right to left, and repeated one more time until it slowly drops motionless.
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?“Mister Holmes, welcome to Paris de Ritz .”
“All of dee suites are awaiting your arrival. I count only three to dee party as dee reservation through dee Edison line had called for four suites, I dow believe.”
“Yes concierge, all four of us are present,” as Toby slowly rubs his dusty and moist nose repeatedly against the kneecap of Sherlock.
“Yes, yes, Toby you shall occupy the suite with the view of southern Paris.”
“Sir, doe you say something ?’”
“Oh, nothing, here, keep the Euro-change.”
“Consignor, has Dr. Pasteur arrived?”
“Yes, my dee Brinks security sheet indicates Doctor Pasteur arrived hours ago. He left thus note for you." _____________________________________________
Date: 06 May 1889
Paris Ritz 191 to the left, 119 base floor - Charles De Gaulle Way Suite 102 Paris, France - Europa, Zip Coda 201
Dear Mr. Holmes and honored Associates,
Welcome to the epic center of domesticated civilization. I await your arrival and that of your Associates in suite 102.
I’m anxious to start. I have artesian chilled block iced refreshments awaiting you.
Respectfully,
Dr. Pasteur
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As Holmes looks up he simultaneously gestures with his right hand, “Miss Liberty, Mr. Watson, and Toby boy - the good professor has already arrived and is awaiting our immediate entrance. Bellboy, lead the route to suite 102, please.”
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Oui Monsieur, Bonjour, Oui Monsieur, Oh, Oui… Mister Holmes, Mr. Holmes, welcome to Paris, come in pleaze .”
“Indeed it’s an honor to meet you, Doctor Pasteur. The newly installed Edison lines besides their persistent snack, crackle, and pop do not do you justice.”
“Doctor, allow me to introduce to you, my distinguished Associates.”
“Ah excuse me, sir, what shall you drink this evening, you must be thirsty?”
“I’m sorry, how rude of me, everyone meet Henry, he’ll gladly take your orders."
”Dr. Pasteur meet Ms. Liberty. As a Rhodes Scholar, she has attended?……………”
“Toby!
No!”
“Oh, tis fine Mr. Holmes, meet Sophia .”
“She’s a French/Italian royal poodle given to me in the guise of a five-week freshly weaned pup - from Prezident Marie Fran?ois Sadi Carnot?himself. She won’t bite. I’m sure they’ll get along once d hard-wired exchanges of customary smelling from d stern to d bow is finally abated/realized and satisfied .”
“Henry, please, bring in d prime canine fillets and z vintage 1877 Domaine de la Grey Wolf Grange Chardonnay/Perrier … on d artisan rocks for the pups .”
Henry remained motionless as he answered back from the kitchen, “Yes Doctor, I’m popping as you’re speaking.”
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“Hello there, I don’t believe we’ve been formally introduced - so may I have the honor?’
“I go by Toby”
?“I’m from the Mull of Kintyre, a serene wooded dale located by the North Atlantic in western Scotland, home of Robert Burns who is one of the most famous Scots whose influence has touched people across the world! "
Although born into a very poor family, Burns was extremely intelligent and excelled in many areas of academics. He's a beloved figure in Scottish history as a poet and writer. His work was varied and could be a heart-wrenching romantic, or wickedly funny and satirical. He was a down-to-earth and true-to-life Scot.”
“And you, Mademoiselle madam?
“Oh, Toby, d r d most polite ann distinguished with ur western Scottish linguistic bark and Darwinian strut. Doe you French bark as well ?” _____________________________________________
“Gentlemen and Mademoiselle Madame, merci for visiting me prior to your attendance at d World’s Fair. You’ve come to France at d most splendid time .”
“Most certainly, Dr. Pasteur,” as Holmes gestures towards Ms. Liberty already seated on the beige plush sofa while slyly viewing his Big Ben pocket watch.
“Ms. Liberty, through several years of intense trial and experimenting, I’d believe that a major breakthrough is on the teetering horizon of finally being verified, validated, and fully realized.”
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“If I’m correct I shall also contemporaneously be putting d last nail in d coffin to d centuries-old alchemy theory that’s been inveterate of mankind for centuries past – the Spontaneous Generation Theory, once tis riddle is riddled, I shall have both the verification and validation of unequivocal truth to finally publish my discoveries and findings.”
“Miss Liberty, that’s two, count ‘em - two French Mints in-d-one .”
As Professor Pasteur continued his light diatribe, he began slowly walking in unintended figure 8s with his eyes staring toward the floor with his hands cupped behind him while in a nearly hypnotic state of mind while everyone followed his every step, including too, Sophia and Toby. If a pin had happened to fall onto the varnished and smooth wooden floor, it would have been heard by all six mammals in the room, especially the two with attentive vertically frozen tails.
“There was at one time, a universal scientific opinion that germs were fortuitously born. That the washing of one's hands was not deemed important, nor for that matter was body bathing.”
“Disgusting, Doctor,” as Miss Liberty draws her nose inward while twisting it left to right like I Dreamed of Jennie did in the ’70s.
“Indeed, Miss. Liberty, however, the spontaneous generation theory or ‘Aristotelian abiogenesis,’ if you so may prefer, is a purely antediluvian theory that holds it to be true that certain lower forms of life, like insects and … germs … were reproduced by physicochemical agencies derived from inorganic matter.”
“Germs?!” - voiced out in pure harmony by everyone including Henry the butler as he walked in from the adjoining room with a silver tray full of cooled refreshments with the wall candles flickering in union with Henry’s swift but controlled stage right entrance.
“I’ll elaborate a bit later on germs, allow me to continue.”
“This scientific premise went unchallenged up until the middle of the 17th century. An Italian physician named Francesco Redi (1626 -1697) started to chip away at the fatuous notion of a spontaneous generation.”
“Redi had keenly observed how maggots of flies were generated on putrefying pieces of meat that was exposed to air. Most of the other scientists of that era remained highly skeptical of Redi’s theory and continued to cling to the fuzzy and warm concept that is truly spontaneous generation.”
“Victorian superstitions, fears, and prejudices ladies and gentleman. Superstition, nothing, nothing more. Mother Nature is anxiously waiting for mortal man by her cunning and evasive clues slightly offered - to fully and finally unveil one of many treasures not yet mined.”
“Next, a Hungarian-born doctor named Ignaz Semmelweis (1818-1865) whose vocation was an obstetrician helped to empower Dr. Redi’s earlier premise that spontaneous generation was but only a convenient and non-scientific mirage.”
“Yes, Dr. Semmelweis had one-part Copernicus and 2-part Galileo Galilee within him. Both would never sugarcoat their labored work. Had Semmelweis lived in the previous century, he would have been impaled and displayed for the customary three days in Times Square, I dare say. A rare Spartacus moment it most surely would have been."
“In Vienna, during the 1840s where Dr. Semmelweis was head obstetrician, 30 percent of women who were waiting to give birth at lying-in wards were contracting a virulent illness known as puerperal fever and dying shortly after giving birth. Semmelweis became curious about the fact that women who were giving birth at their homes were generally not affected by the lethal pyrexia.”
“Dr. Semmelweis finally disentombed the culprits,” resulting in Mr. Holmes’ left eye being raised and shaped like a Halloween cat-back arches like a surprise quiz question mark.
“Doctors and midwives were not washing their hands or their medical instruments before or after their physical examinations of patients. Disturbed at what he was seeing and the connections he inevitably drew upon, Doctor Semmelweis ordered all of the care workers to wash their hands and medical apparatuses before and after each examination with a simple and yet effective chlorinated lime mixture.”
“By devising better personal hygienic practices, Semmelweis inadvertently instituted the world’s 1st recorded hand and instrument disinfected dip based on antiseptic prophylaxis!’
“Extraordinary as it was revolutionary, in less than two years, this new personal hygiene medical procedure truncated the maternal mortality rate from 12.00 percent to a mere 1.25 percent –
A classic log deduction reduction !”
“Fascinating Doctor, I’m a little curious ...”
“Sorry to interrupt you, Mr. Watson, let’s let the good doctor finish what he started, shall we?”
“Yes, of course, Mr. Holmes.”
“I’ve run a number of identical experiments in my Paris Laboratory and many more at my summer residence in Switzerland. The results have been identical at each location, however, the end results of the two locales when compared remain not in agreement.”
“Please, precede good Doctor,” as Holmes strikes a match once then twice to ignite his 1865 Liverpool branded curling pipe as he stares straight into the eyes of Pasteur with no signs of a blink.
“I’m reaching a boiling point of twice distilled flasks of potable water with two drastically time-temperature continuum readings. And I'd …”
“Professor?”
“Yes, Miss Liberty ?”
“What’s the approximate elevations of Paris and that of your laboratory in Switzerland?”
“Paris is 35m (209 feet) above sea level. My Matterhorn locale is 4,478 m (10,192 feet). Why, Miss Liberty ?”
"I did a thesis based on Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686-1736) who was the first person to make a thermometer using mercury. The more predictable expansion of mercury combined with improved glassworking techniques led to a much more accurate thermometer. Fahrenheit had theorized that boiling water would require more time due to increased air pressure ratios in order to reach the boiling point of water.”
“Boiling water inactivates un-potable water?by applying heat to damage structural cellular components that disrupt essential life processes such as denature proteins.?
“The?boiling?point of?water?is 100 °C., - 212 °F., at sea level. However, the boiling of water becomes extended with increased atmospheric pressure atypical of higher altitudes.”
‘Great Cesar’s Ghost, Miss Liberty! The Kansas State University Study ...!
“Precisely, doctor.”
“Exquisite work, Miss Liberty,” as Holmes suddenly pops out of his chair in a rare, nearly extinct exhibit of emotion as he checks the time on his Big Ben.
“Why thank you, Mr. Holmes,” as Ms. Liberty brushes her hair behind both of her ears while looking down.
“Good Doctor, one last question. What is a germ?”
Ah, yes … I hypothesize Mr. Watson that …_______________________________________
“Toby, would you care to S-cort Miss Sophia - with a short leash, along the winding streets to thee Grand Opening? She knows her way there. Thereafter, get a bite to eat on me, at the renowned Academy Award-winning Ratatouille café?”
Ask for Monsieur Remy, the residing 10-Star Grand Master Michelin chef who is a friend of mine. He’ll have you with an Eiffel view in a nanosecond. Have him send me the tab by the pony express.”
Bark!
“Please have,” with the good doctor pointing his right index finger towards Toby’s moist nose, “my Sophia home by 12 hundred hours tonight.” Ruuuf!
“You actually make me howl with your d unique Scottish accent Sir Toby - Baron of Mull of Kintyre, Scotland."
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ACT I - MR. HOLMES’ CLOSING LOG
Plagues did not end when Pasteur discovered that infectious diseases are caused and spread by microorganisms. In India, cholera has long been endemic, and other underdeveloped countries suffer severely from epidemics. Diseases remained a major hazard of wartime. Virulent new organisms arise from time to time and sweep over the world; indeed, the influenza pandemic of 1918 killed an estimated 15 million people, a larger number of people that died in any other plague in human history, and nearly twice as many were killed in the then just completed world war.
Nevertheless, Pasteur's germ theory discovery was a great turning point. The death rate in Europe and the United States began to fall markedly, and life expectancy steadily rose.
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PROJECTED ACT II RELEASE
October 2019
PROJECTED TITLE OF ACT II
ACT II - THE RETURN OF KHAN
Khan returns once again with his deadliest threat yet to mankind. He has traveled back in time to 1889, England. He has plans to spread an alien disease, derived from another space quadrant, on planet earth called prions.
Prions are composed of the?prion protein?(PrP) and are hypothesized for the fatal illnesses of:
·??????Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs)
·??????Scrapie in Sheep
·??????Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Deer
·??????Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in Cattle aka “Mad Cow Disease.”
·??????Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) in Homo sapiens
CENTURY
Late 19th to the 23rd century
NEXT SCHEDULED HONORED GUESTS
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REFERENCES USED FOR ACT I
The highly utilized – Kansas State University Thermometer Study.
Harriss, Joseph.?The Tallest Tower: Eiffel and the Belle Epoque. Boston: Houghton-Mifflin Company, 1975. LC Call number: NA2930 .H37
Walton, William.?Chefs-d ‘Oeuvre l'Exposition universelle de Paris, 1889. Paris: G. Barrie, [c1889]. Call number N4803 .W3 [folio]
An introduction describes paintings exhibited by France, Great Britain, the United States, and other (mostly European) countries at 1889 fair, followed by 125 plates, some in color
12 Views of Buildings and Pavilions of the 1889 Paris Exposition. S.l.: s.n., 1889.
Garnier, Charles.?L'Habitation Humaine. Paris: Hachette, 1892.
Jourdain, Frantz. Exposition Universelle de 1889: Constructions Elev??es au Champs de Mars par M. Charles Garnier. New York: J. W. Bouton, 1892.
Muller-Scheessel, Nils. Fair Prehistory: archaeological exhibits at French Expositions Universelles.Antiquity, volume 75 (2001): 391-401.
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