GEKMS. 93 



and watchful care. When we read the glowing ac- 

 counts of these life preservers we feel that "life, liberty 

 and the pursuit of happiness" are little enough to give 

 in return. But, alas, after the bacteriologists have 

 reached the topmost wave of prosperity, it is discovered 

 that germs are not at all diagnostic of disease, for to- 

 day it is well known that any germ that ever twisted 

 or wriggled may inhabit the human body without pro- 

 ducing sickness. 



Since bacteriology is supported largely by State 

 Boards of Health, and as these health boards have al- 

 most unlimited control of all infectious disease, refer- 

 ence to this organization may not be out of place. First, 

 let us notice their system of advertising. The following 

 is from the regular published statements of the board 

 itself. To a recent inquiry sent to one of our State 

 Boards, asking the means used to warn the people of 

 the presence of a certain disease, the secretary replied 

 in the Grand Ledge Michigan Independent, under date 

 of October 19, 1900, as follows: 



"The means used to warn the people are numerous, 

 and the state pays for such sanitary work. Every case 

 of disease dangerous to the public health must be re- 

 ported to the secretary of the State Board. The secre- 

 tary sends a package of leaflets and requests their dis- 

 tribution among the neighbors of the premises plac- 

 arded. These leaflets warn the neighbors of a danger- 

 ous communicable disease," etc. In the same article 

 the secretary states : "Some of the means used by the 

 office of the State Board of Health to warn the people 

 are regular bulletins issued weekly and monthly, and 



