42 



adaptation. The disease producing agent, the phismodiuni, is there, and 

 has been found in the blood of the people without apparently doing much 

 harm, but when a white man gets into the country he may succumb very 

 quickly. There may be even a marked difference in white men in their sus- 

 ceptibility to malaria, or other diseases, doubtless depending on the ex- 

 posure of the ancestors in foi'mer times. The susceptibility of our native 

 Indians is one of the chief arguments against the indigenous origin of 

 malaria. 



Malaria in Indiana has about run its course, as it has in older civilized 

 countries ; its mortality today is slight — our dog fennel days of malaria 

 are about over. 



TvBERCLLOSis : If malaria was the Grendel of early Indiana, tuber- 

 culsis occupies that position in our State today. While there has been a 

 steady decrease in mortality from malaria, there has been a steady in- 

 crease in mortality from tuberculosis, and we have not yet reached the 

 "uaximum. Tuberculosis is an air-borne disease, or, more strictly speaking, 

 a dust-bonie disease, and conditions in our State were never so bad as 

 today. Although the mortality statistics of tuberculosis are a fair index of 

 bad air conditions, they do not tell the whole truth ; the deaths from a 

 number of other affections must be included, notably those from pneu- 

 monia. 



Tuberculosis is the slow protest of nature against bad air conditions, 

 pneumonia is the sudden outcry. The approach of tuberculosis is heralded 

 by many and repeated warnings — clinicians speak of a pre-tubercular stage, 

 a stage of coughs and colds, of pains and aches. Pneumonia strikes sud- 

 denly, without warning. The stranger within the gates of the city has no 

 time to flee ; and to remain in the crowded citj' is too often synonymous 

 with death. In the country where air conditions are good, pneumonia is 

 neither frequent nor very fatal, aud under good air conditions tuberculosis 

 does not thrive at all ; indeed, the city victim on going out into good air is 

 apt to recover, if lie goes in time. The ancient Greeks knew the value of 

 good air, the ponderous volumes of the physicians of a hundred years ago 

 testify to its value, a value which we are now but rediscovering — we do 

 not yet fully appreciate it. 



We as a matter of course look upon tuberculosis as the great enemy 

 of the human race — but after all it may be a friend in disguise! Few may 

 be able to look at it in that light, but some arguments may be made in sup- 

 port of such a statement. 



