TUBERCULOSIS 235 



room and witli hardly any ventilation. The consequence 

 is that if tuhercle is once introduced, it tends to spread 

 and to infect the floors and walls of the living rooms. 

 No wonder then that the question of tuberculosis is 

 giving much cause for anxiety in some of our tropical 

 possessions, for no doubt history will repeat itself, and, 

 just as we have witnessed the spread of consumption in 

 this country and have taken energetic measures to stop 

 it, so with tropical countries and with crowded popula- 

 tions the disease will spread and most energetic measures 

 will liave to be adopted to stem it. Tuberculosis is not 

 the only white man's disease which shows signs of in- 

 crease ; there are also others. Thus we are brought face 

 to face with the curious fact that whilst man is steadily 

 stamping out certain diseases which for the most part 

 interfere with his commerce, there are a few diseases 

 associated more especially with his comparatively luxuri- 

 ous way of living which are not kept under and are 

 especially apt to spread quickly amongst the native races 

 who come in contact with us and copy our methods. 



