32 ILLINOIS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 



Perhaps the most conspicious field in which the war 

 influenced the development of zoological science was that 

 dealing with the relations of animals to disease. It be- 

 came of paramount importance to preserve the health of 

 the soldier. The conditions under which he worked had 

 been in previous wars characterized by a striking increase 

 in the amount of disease, even to the extent of incapacitat- 

 ing armies and defeating well-planned military campaigns. 

 Within rather recent times the investigations of the rela- 

 tions of animals to disease had resulted in disclosing an 

 essential connection between certain types of animal life 

 and specific maladies. It was known that some of the 

 diseases which had threatened the existence of the soldier 

 in previous wars depended absolutely upon specific types 

 of animals for transmission. In other cases where the 

 demonstration had not been made so directly, there was 

 reason to believe that similar relations existed. In the 

 study of the relations of animals to disease, which, was 

 inaugurated and pressed with intensity in connection with 

 the health service of all fighting forces discoveries of 

 striking magnitude were made. 



Because of their evident and immediate relation to the 

 welfare of man these discoveries are sure to exert a power- 

 ful influence upon the trend of scientific research. They 

 have aroused widespread interest among workers in other 

 fields and have given a significance to work of this type 

 which assures it a permanent place among the research 

 activities in zoology. 



