SELECTED PAPERS 



this way can it be understood that in the first world war the opposing 

 armies have succeeded in keeping the Western Front free from typhus, 

 owing to an energetic delousing policy. If we follow Zinsser, however, 

 typhus had a not insignificant share in the victory of the Allies be- 

 cause the epidemic which broke out in Serbia almost immediately 

 after the start of the war, and in six months made 150,000 victims, 

 deterred the Austrian army from invading the country. Such an in- 

 vasion, and its consequences for the fate of the other Balkan countries, 

 would in all probability have greatly benefited the Central powers. 



With respect to the second world war it is still too early to draw 

 up a balance concerning the influence of invisible life on the course of 

 events. But many of our compatriots who were carried off to Ger- 

 many have experienced that especially during the final chaotic year 

 typhus reared its ugly head, albeit that Homo militans succeeded in 

 localizing the effects of this calamity. 



It would please me if from these rather macabre examples - which, 

 by the way, could have been amplified by numerous others - my audi- 

 ence had become convinced that in effect the course of history has not 

 infrequently been governed by the invisible living world, and that a 

 perpetual alertness of Homo militans is imperative if in future man 

 desires to keep his terrestrial existence free from such influences. 



One might, however, counter that the previous discussion refers 

 only to periods of war and chaos, whereas during more normal times 

 one can live safely behind the hygienic barriers erected by our san- 

 itary services, at least as far as Western Europe is concerned. But then 

 I must reply that some invisible organisms do manage to break 

 through these barriers. This applies, for instance, to Mycobacterium 

 tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis, often designated as 

 'Public Enemy Number One'. Also in our country there are many who 

 succumb to this cruel disease or who are incapacitated by it for long 

 periods of time. Even though the final goal has not been achieved by 

 any means, it is fortunate that we may conclude that Homo militans 

 has long been active in this field, and I may here be permitted to 

 refer to his latest combat weapon. 



Remembering the adage that thieves are the best agents for appre- 

 hending thieves, and impressed by the successes scored with penicillin, 

 attempts have been made to use the fighting equipment with which 



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