144 MAN, THE ANIMAL 



attempt to help man to make the best fight pos- 

 sible — a fight which he alone has to make when 

 it comes to the final analysis. 



The reason, then, that we give so freely to 

 public health measures is that it is the only way 

 known by which man can be assisted. It is a well- 

 recognized feature of all of this work that by 

 helping the body to keep well nourished and in a 

 generally good state of health its resistance 

 to the poisons of germs is increased — often to 

 the point where it is completely able to throw off 

 the offending germs. To help man to help him- 

 self and to enable him to live in better health and 

 longer is in itself a sufficient stimulus for all of this 

 work that is being carried on. As was suggested 

 at the beginning of this review, it is important 

 to keep in mind that all of these regulations, based 

 on the latest and best findings of science, cannot 

 go beyond certain limits. They cannot furnish 

 man with a different immunity than Nature gave 

 him at birth. They must always apply within the 

 range of variation for human beings. They can- 

 not create any superman who shall have unheard- 

 of ability in resisting disease. It is very much to 

 be doubted if the general immunity of mankind 

 will improve as more and more men come to live 

 in crowded cities and work within doors. We 

 should expect the reverse to become true as the 



