WHY WE DIE. 



91 



bacilli ; he is struck by a piece of shrapnel, this and some clothing 

 enter his tissues, and the wound is infected. In the early days 

 of the War, tetanus was all too frequent and deaths therefrom 

 numerous. 



Now the disease is comparatively rare, and this although 

 the men are fighting under the same conditions of trench warfare 

 as they were in France and Flanders in 1915. What has caused 

 this great diminution of incidence of, and therefore mortality 

 from, tetanus ? It is undoubtedly the fact that every wounded 

 man now receives a protective injection of antitetanus serum, 

 and most a second dose about seven days later. As a result of 

 these, the bacilli fail to multiply, and no lock-jaw occurs. Anyone 

 who has seen the spasms of tetanus, and the terrible death which 

 closes the scene, will be ready to bless the marvellous effects of 

 these prophylactic doses of serum. 



Conclusion. 



Enough has been said to show that the intricate machine — 

 the human body — withstands a great deal which should cause its 

 activity to cease. Its powers of resistance, its capabilities for 

 recovery, and its response to external help, all tend to prolong 

 its life. But a sudden, unforeseen catastrophe may overtake 

 it, and its vital parts are affected, and it stops its functions and 

 disintegrates — it has died by accident. Three-score years and 

 ten go by, and gradually there seems to be a failure in the perfect 

 movement, and in the nice co-ordination of parts, and the functions 

 slow down until they stop : the body has worn out, death has 

 occurred from old-age, from wearing out. These two causes 

 of dissolution, however, only account for a small proportion of 

 deaths. It is to the action of parasites, vegetable or animal, 

 that the bodily economy has so often to surrender. 



The fight may be short and sharp, and the defeat rapid ; or the 

 struggle may be prolonged and suffering great ; but the same 

 beneficent law holds sway, and the being dies and his tissues 

 resolve into their elements, and another rises in his place. 



" Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, 

 it abideth alone : but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 



0 death, where is thy sting ? 0 grave, where is thy 

 victory ? " 



