RESISTANCE AGAINST MICROORGANISMS 275 
and regulations suggested by bacteriologists and adopted by 
health boards, all designed for the prevention of the distribution 
of disease germs. This is, indeed, the foundation of modern 
sanitation. 
Increasing of Individual Resistance.—Recently there has 
been a manifest reaction against this one-sided attitude. While 
the importance of preventing the distribution of bacteria is still 
acknowledged, there is to-day a growing recognition of another 
side to the question. The strengthening of personal vigor is of 
no less importance—many believe it is of more importance—than 
the preventing of the distribution of bacteria. The weakening 
of personal vigor will do more toward increasing germ diseases 
than a relaxing of the rules which try to prevent the distribution 
of bacteria. Personal resistance of the individual will enable 
him to repel many an attack of disease bacteria, even if he has 
been directly exposed to them, while a weakened resisting power 
may result in his yielding to the first attack of an invading 
bacterium. For some of the less violent diseases (tuberculosis) 
this is much more emphatically true than for other diseases 
(anthrax). Now, it is not possible to hope that we shall ever be 
able to exterminate all pathogenic bacteria; even if we did, other 
forms would doubtless take their places. Since we cannot 
exterminate them, it follows that all individuals will, at some time, 
be exposed to the attacks of some of the disease germs. Mani- 
festly, then, the best means of elevating the healthfulness of the 
race is to raise the resisting power, at the same time doing our 
utmost to destroy pathogenic bacteria. 
These facts are equally true, whether we are dealing with 
animals or with man. It is of more importance for the farmer 
to understand them when he endeavors to make a fight against 
the diseases of domestic animals than it is for the physician or the 
veterinarian who tries to cure the disease. With animals, as 
with man, the individual resisting power is variable. When a 
lot of pigs are attacked by that very fatal disease, hog cholera, 
