334 THE OLIVE LEAF. CHAP. 



always more or less surrounded by fresh blood and 

 have their persons and clothes stained with it, are 

 among the healthiest classes in the community, and are 

 singularly free from infectious diseases. In a plague, or 

 pestilence, or epidemic, this class has always seemed to 

 enjoy almost complete immunity. This fact has been 

 known as a fact of observation for ages, but it is only 

 within the last few years that the true reason of it has 

 been ascertained. 



Blood, if externally applied, attracts to itself from 

 the atmosphere the germs of disease, and so secures 

 immunity to the person upon whom it is placed. 

 Professor Lister found that an undisturbed blood-clot 

 has a special power of preventing the development 

 of septic bacteria, owing to the fact that the white 

 corpuscles still retain their vitality long after the 

 blood has been shed from the body, and like all vital 

 elements of a healthy living body, have the power of 

 counteracting morbific germs. For these reasons we 

 find a wonderful wisdom in the sanitary legislation of 

 Moses regarding this substance. The Jewish lawgiver 

 could have known nothing in those unscientific days 

 about the living germs that are the cause of putrefaction 

 in organic substances. This is the latest result of 

 experiment and research in a remarkably scientific age. 

 But he was Divinely inspired, and his code of legisla- 

 tion was communicated to him by that God who made 

 all things, and therefore knew the secret of their proper- 

 ties. And there cannot be a more striking proof of the 

 inspiration of the Mosaic legislation than just this fact 



