270 THOMAS CHAPLIN, ESQ., M.D., ON 



Chairman, said : I am afraid I have very few remarks to make on 

 Dr. Chaplin's most interesting paper, but perhaps I may be 

 permitted to offer one or two general observations. It seems 

 almost certain that some of the diseases which occurred in those 

 early days afflict man now. Some of the features that are described 

 are features with which we are acquainted, dysentery, for 

 instance, and typhoid fever. Typhoid, dysentery, and perhaps,, 

 cholera occurred in those days, but the symptoms of course would 

 be described somew-hat differently. We must not forget that the 

 treatment in ancient times was very different from that which we 

 should now advocate, and the great care laken of the sick in our 

 time is beyond comparison with anything that could then have 

 been provided. 



It may be said generally that diseases are much less severe and 

 more under control than formerly, but the actual changes in the 

 human body were probably in their nature much the same as- 

 regards the changes in the blood and the tissues and organs. 



Again, there is one thing very remarkable to notice with regard 

 to contagious diseases. It is only one person among many wha 

 falls a victim to many of the poisons, and in former days the 

 active material which entered the body, was much more virulent 

 than that which we meet with, and those ministering to the 

 sick were much more likely to contract the disease than is the case 

 now. But unfortunately it is not possible to determine who is,. 

 and who is not, susceptible. Some individuals seem exceptionally 

 liable, while others seem almost proof against the influence of the 

 poison, or its entrance into the body. What determines the 

 unusual " susceptibility " or the resistance to attack is not 

 certain. The only answer that I have ever heard to the question 

 is that the individual attacked is " unduly susceptible " ; or the 

 equally vague suggestion that he is unusually " vulnerable " ; but 

 exactly what was meant by those who were so much more learned 

 than the rest of us has not been made clear. That some of us do 

 escape in a w^onderful way in spite of exceptional exposure is 

 certain. In very early days we used often to have three or 

 four cases of disease in a ward of twelve or fifteen beds, and 

 many of us, though sometimes exposed for several hours daily, 

 passed through perfectly scatheless. Many of us have been 

 amongst all kinds of fevers and other contagious diseases without 

 contracting one ; and I do not believe I have ever had even the 



