THE CALL OF THE LAND 



The assembled doctors arrived at a nearly 

 unanimous conclusion that a too frequent 

 use of rapid transportation would produce 

 among the unhappy passengers an unprec- 

 edented increase of the malady known aa 

 "delirium furiosum." "Even if it be con- 

 ceded," said the physicians, "that the travel- 

 ers voluntarily expose themselves to this 

 danger, and that the state ought not to in- 

 terfere with personal liberty in such a mat- 

 ter, we nevertheless feel bound to advise, by 

 virtue of our calling, that the state should 

 at least interfere for the protection of the 

 onlookers. We are confident that the mere 

 sight of a steam locomotive dashing along 

 at the extreme of its speed will be sufficient 

 to produce this fearful malady in persons 

 of a nervous and susceptible constitution. 

 We therefore humbly advise the public 

 authorities to require that walls shall be 

 erected on each side of the railway track 

 not less than 6 feet in height." 



But moral and religious exhortation in 

 aid of health should not be considered fussy. 

 Every community contains ailing men and 



