162 INFECTION AND IMMUNITY 



" It seems evident that sure progress is being made, and with 

 the cordial support of the medical profession, as a whole, which is 

 now freely accorded by the best elements of the profession, fol- 

 lowed as this must be by the universal popular appreciation of 

 the true nature of tuberculosis in place of the unreasoning fear 

 or careless indifference which has largely prevailed, we may con- 

 'fidently anticipate, as the result of continued effort, the almost 

 entire eradication of this, the most fatal disease with which sani- 

 tary authorities have to deal." 



The last census return (1900) shows that in the 

 registration area the death-rate from consumption 

 was 187.3 per 100,000 of the population, while the 

 preceding census gave a rate of 245.4 per 100,000. 



Similar progress is reported in those countries of 

 Europe which have given the most attention to sani- 

 tary matters. In Prussia a notable diminution in the 

 mortality from tuberculosis commenced about the 

 year 1887, five years after the discovery of the tuber- 

 cle bacillus. This has been continuous up to the 

 present time. Prior to the date mentioned, the mor- 

 tality rate from tuberculosis in Prussia had for some 

 time remained stationary at about 310 per 100,000 

 inhabitants; since the year 1887, it has fallen to 210 

 (in the year 1900). Similar progress in the future 

 would lead to the practical extinction of the disease 

 in twenty or thirty years. In England, during the 

 same period, a reduction from 240 to 190 per 100,000 

 has occurred. The last census return shows that the 

 District of Columbia has " the highest death-rate 



