THE CONQUEST OF DISEASE 



but let us in our zeal for kindness to them not 

 neglect that which is a still greater obligation 

 humanity to man. 



Three hundred years ago, in Europe, the 

 average length of human life was nineteen 

 years. It has increased, with particular rapid- 

 ity during the last half century, until now the 

 average life of man is forty years. In Sweden, 

 where the greatest governmental interest ex- 

 ists in the problems of public health, the aver- 

 age span of life has reached fifty-two years. 

 Many diseases have been conquered; the 

 mystery of many yet remains unsolved. The 

 layman, in whose circle the visits of death are 

 rare, may not grasp the meaning of these 

 things. The physician, the biologist, and the 

 sociologist know what they mean. The medi- 

 cal man, particularly he who works in the hos- 

 pital, where daily he stands in the presence of 

 those who are fatally ill, realizing his helpless- 

 ness, turns to the workers who are striving to 

 solve the problems of life and death, with a 

 heart full of prayer for their success. To him 

 the pale faces of the dying call for the help he 

 can not give. The babe, the youth, the man in 

 his prime, the loving mother all of these he 

 sees pass away because of the inadequacy of his 



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