78 Heredity and Child Culture 



even in cases of death from other causes. The 

 first inception of this insidious malady almost 

 always comes at the beginning of life. If the 

 general vitality is conserved, however, nothing 

 but a harmless encapsulated spot will usually 

 remain, but at the same time every effort must 

 be made to keep the body from infection. 



Wliat is true of tuberculosis is true of all 

 other infections. Measles and whooping-cough 

 are two of the most dangerous diseases of this 

 age as regards ultimate effects. This is the 

 most susceptible period of life to all communi- 

 cable disease. Young protoplasm affords a vir- 

 gin and favorable soil for the growth of bac- 

 teria and the spread of all kinds of virus. In 

 this respect, the pre-school child is much more 

 susceptible than the infant or the older child. 

 One of the common diseases of early life, diph- 

 theria, well shows this peculiarity. It has been 

 found that over 90 per cent, of newborn infants 

 are immune to this disease, 70 per cent, during 

 the first year, while somewhat over half fail to 

 contract the disease on exposure later in child- 

 hood. Immunity from infection of most kinds 



