MALARIA IN GREECE ROSS. 709 



paratory to a general onslaught on the foe. When I was in Athens 

 I had the pleasure of speaking to M. Theotakis, the premier, and Mr. 

 Boufidis, the president of the chamber, and am sure that the Govern- 

 ment will do its best to support the campaign. But the society will 

 have to fight many enemies, chief among which will be the incredulity 

 and indifference of the public. I have therefore suggested that we in 

 Britain may help it by doing something to show our support of it. 

 The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine has accordingly offered 

 its assistance, which has been accepted by the King of Greece; and 

 under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Christian, we 

 have opened a list of supporters, which now includes many eminent 

 names, beginning with those of the Greek minister in London, the 

 British minister in Athens, the presidents of the Royal Society and 

 the British Academy, the Royal College of Physicians, and many 

 Greeks residing in Britain. It often happens that a little foreign sup- 

 port will do more to encourage a cause than much local effort can do. 



AVhen matters are in proper train, every year will see the removal 

 of a number of the little marshes which are so injurious to the 

 country — every year will see a decrease in the malaria. I venture 

 to say with confidence that, give us but the necessary means — and 

 we do not require much — there is no country in the world from 

 which we could not extirpate the disease. Hitherto we have con- 

 tented ourselves with diminishing it in isolated towns. Let us now 

 deal with whole nations. Remember that it has actually been ban- 

 ished from Great Britain, almost by unconscious agencies. We have 

 only to imitate those agencies consciously. What a triumph it will 

 be for that great science, of which all of us are the humble votaries, 

 if she can wipe out this miasm, this defilement, from an entire coun- 

 try. I will not hesitate — such is our ambition. And that country 

 is Greece. 



I asked a Greek friend why his countrymen did not restore the 

 Parthenon. He replied it was because they were unwilling to touch 

 the sacred ruins without the assent of the whole world, to whom 

 they belonged. So also Greece belongs to the whole world. We all 

 share in her troubles and should do our best to relieve them. Many 

 years have passed since Byron gave his life for Greece. He attrib- 

 uted her misfortunes to loss of liberty. Perhaps so; but I think 

 that an enemy more inveterate than the Turk has also destroyed her. 

 Not least among the nations, Britain has studied to help her against 

 her human enemies. Should we not help her now against the more 

 potent enemy which we have discovered. That science which, more 

 than two thousand years ago, she created is at our side urging us on. 

 We have no doubt of the result — we need only to nerve the arm to 

 strike. 



