QUESTION OF PHYSICAL DEGENERATION 247 



But most noticeable of all is the large diminution in the 

 number of victims claimed by tuberculosis in its various forms. 

 In 1 88 1 they numbered 2246, in 1896 only 1696 for each 

 million of the population a diminution of 55> or > f r tne 

 whole population of England and Wales, of no less than 16,500. 



Other diseases traceable to germs are on the up-grade, or 

 have reappeared on the stage after being almost lost sight 

 of. Diphtheria has much increased of late years ; influenza, 

 long almost forgotten, suddenly in 1890 swooped down on 

 Europe. But no doubt many deaths really attributable to 

 influenza were formerly put down to bronchitis. Hence the 

 large reduction recently under the latter head. To the destruc- 

 tive pests that have improved their unenviable position we have 

 to add pneumonia. 



If, now, we are careful to reckon tuberculosis, pneumonia and 

 bronchitis among the diseases due to microbes we find a reduction 

 of no less than 936 in the annual death-rate for which this class 

 of disease is responsible per 1,000,000 persons living. (I am 

 comparing in this and subsequent cases the years 1 88 1 and 

 1896.) This does not seem much out of a total death-rate of 

 17,100 in each million. But it must be remembered that the 

 next few years are likely to see the tendency showing itself 

 much more strongly. Influenza is possibly on the wane. 

 Though diphtheria is on the up-grade, it seems probable 

 that it will soon be humbled by science. Tuberculosis has 

 already lost ground, and the new method of dealing with 

 it fresh air, high feeding and isolation is likely to bring 

 about a diminution more rapid than anything seen hitherto. 



The diseases caused by microbes, therefore, have become less other 

 terrible, and are likely to suffer further discomfiture. That declining 



. . 11. -r causes of 



being so, the question arises : what diseases, ir any, are taking death 

 their place ? Old age, it seems, has not stepped into their shoes, 

 for the deaths attributed to it show a decrease of no less than 

 163 for each million of the population. Moreover, under another 

 head debility, atrophy, inanition there is a large reduction, no 

 less than 230. This we may take to mean that every year there 

 are fewer children starved. Even now we have not done with the 



