MALADIE ET SYMBIOSE 245 



these connections. If we are dealing merely with " adaptation," 

 then there seems little justification for the bringing in of Pathology 

 at all, and if, on the other hand, we are dealing with " hosts " then 

 we should confine ourselves to disease without bringing in "adap- 

 tations." Much confusion would be relieved, and great might be 

 our gains generally, could we but be more enlightened with regard 

 to " predisposition." Under what conditions of " soil " is a 

 micro-organism.tempted to become morbidly, or, in the alternative, 

 healthily, " part of us " ? That again is the question. Here 

 modern Pathology cannot assist us, for it does not concern 

 itself with such fundamental causes as the biological merits or 

 demerits of the organism. It is waiting for some synthesis from 

 General Biology, which is itself on the look out for new inspira- 

 tions with regard to the subject of inter-relations. As Prof. 

 Patrick Geddes has it in a preface to a book by Massart & Vander- 

 velde, on Parasitism, Organic and Social : 



May we not, therefore, hope some day to see an antithetical title to 

 the present one Symbiosis, Social and Organic ? Neither economist, 

 nor naturalist is ready to write such a book. 



Meanwhile, we remain uncertain with regard to the most 

 fundamental and most important matters, and the orthodox 

 Biologist carefully avoids the subject of biological merits or 

 demerits. Frequently, in the absence of a court of appeal as 

 potent as that afforded by Bio-Economics, he disowns " values " 

 altogether. But how can Pathology prosper without values, 

 and in its turn inspire Biology ? 



In its primitive form, Prof. Bernard insists that " la symbiose 

 est manifestement a la frontiere de la maladie," whilst " sous 

 ses formes le plus parfaites, elle reste un etat exceptionnellement 

 realise." 



Apart from a few slightly exceptional cases, then, we are to 

 believe that Symbiosis is a state bordering on disease. If we 

 come to examine the " exceptions " where, as alleged, Symbiosis is 

 realised (un haut degre de perfection), we find figuring prominently 

 the case of the notorious Neottia Nidus-avis an in-feeding, 

 in-breeding, almost totally " saprophytic " orchid. This we are 

 to recognise as the culmination of Symbiosis : 



Sous sa forme la plus parfaite, dont 1'etude du Neottia Nidus-avis 

 fournit un des meilleurs exemples, la symbiose devient continue. Non 

 seulement les graines ne germent pas sans le concours d'un champignon, 

 mais encore ce champignon ne cesse pas de se propager dans la plante 



