MICROBE OF GREAT WHITE PLAGUE 217 



predisposed to consumption, and the other portion 

 is not, is perhaps not fully known. But the prob- 

 able reason may be found in the law of the survival 

 of the fittest. Of all the people, originally, the in- 

 dividuals best fitted by nature to fight and ward 

 off disease, have, during the evolution of man for 

 centuries, transmitted their qualities from genera- 

 tion 1 to generation, until now their descendants con- 

 stitute the portion safe against the disease; while 

 the individuals, originally unfitted by nature to 

 ward off the disease, have also transmitted their 

 qualities through all the generations, and their 

 descendants now constitute the portion predisposed 

 to the disease. 



But why, originally, a part were predisposed, 

 and the other part not, is still the mystery. 



Perhaps, however, the most wonderful thing 

 about this matter is yet to be told : In the face of all 

 the facts to the contrary, the impression has gen- 

 erally prevailed throughout the world, and, to a 

 large extent, still prevails, that tuberculosis is not 

 contagious and infectious! On this basis people 

 generally act: 



Consumptives live in their homes, mingle as 

 freely with their families, friends and society, as 

 though they had not the disease. After long linger- 

 ing sickness, they finally die in their homes, and 

 have public funerals, as though no possible harm 

 could be the result. 



From such homes children go to school, associate 

 with the other children, as though they could not 



