196 The Morality of Nature 



die with an almost entire immunity from the natural catas- 

 trophes which weakened and decimated their pioneer fore- 

 fathers. The accidents which prevail occur in the course of 

 voluntary competitive life, and these are only too considera- 

 ble. Yet though they call for care they make even now a 

 mere fractional reduction of the good which palliates them. 

 The list of evils overcome needs to be extended, and the 

 extension proceeds. From natural hardships it advances to 

 accident and disease. It is strange that it should be so, yet 

 industry and love which can achieve and bestow, almost 

 surely, protection against other ills; has least effect against 

 disease. Energy and wealth, used selfishly or altruistically, 

 do not afiford the power to secure immunity against those 

 plagues which all men endure. Yet even here the thing not 

 yet done is begun, and its end is quite conceivable. We may 

 hope, because we can see it possible, that disease organisms 

 can be exterminated in the same manner as are the other 

 predatory parasites, the tigers and the smaller vermin. In 

 the broader method of altruism, by which those enjoying the 

 power and opportunity, aid the neighbor who is prostrate, 

 and destroy his enemy, there is now a prospect of the 

 eradication of evils, which was never visible in selfish 

 motives. Before this new mode of attack this old enemy 

 will go down as the others have. It is no mere figure of 

 speech to call this warfare against disease, a new mode of 

 attack; for although self-sacrificing aid to the sick is older 

 than humanity, yet the aid was purely defensive, an act of 

 love, directed where the love was bestowed and not else- 

 where. But in the new altruistic organization the activity 

 is not only in defense of one's own lineal life, but of all 



