The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1894-11-22
Unwelcome Discoveries.
Minneapolis Times.

MOucTH ocIcuCc las mace many q
| wonderful discovery, but unfortunately
| not all of its discoveries are welcome
1t has revealed the beautiful processes
of nature, but it has also revealed her
destroying agencies The more closely
man has studied, the more complica-
ted has he found conditions and the
more dangers has he recognized.
| Where all is outwardly lovely, he has
found inward harm. The microscope
has disclosed minute horrors, none the
less horrible because minute The tel
escope, as it sweeps the heavens with
is farseelng eye, has foretold stupen-
dous catastrophes. Much that was
thought beneficial has been proved
dangerous, and much that was thought
harmless has been proved fatal 1t has
| been demonstrated that hand in hand
with benefits stalk injuries. Great
good Is always attended by satellites OF
| little evils.
Years ago people lived in calm con-
fdence that whatever Is, is right. Tney
had faith In all things To-Day people
have faith in nothing. They are like
pilgrims walking through the valley Of
the shadow of death, feeling thick
about them horrors they could not see.
They have learned that the very air,
once considered a life-giving nectar, is
peopled with terocious microbes seek
ing whom they may devour. They
imagine their insidious enemies perch
ed on restaurant chairs, sitting atilt on
the passing coin, flying from shoulder
to shoulder in the iostling crowd
They have learned that the water they
drink swarms with life and carries
germs of dread disease. They have
learned that one article of food is bad
for the nerves, another heats the blood,
another is hard to digest, and SO on
through all known menus. They have
learned that imperfect sanitation ana
ventilation endanger health, and that
proper conditions are, moreover, very
rarely attained. Nor is it in every
day affairs alone that science has point
ed out the dangers that await man
Through all the realm of human inter
ests it has con- jured up evils. Its
warning runs the gamut of calami
ties from the danger of not exercising
enough up to the danger of the race
multiplying too fast for the earth to
support it and the equally dramatic
danger of the earth flying from it's or
bit and rushing into the warm embrace
OF the sun.
Sensitive souls are reduced to a
state of apiect terror when they think
of the small chance man has of life,
health, and prosperity, in the face OF
these orgres of science What shall
they eat, wberewithal shall they be
clothed, what can they in safety do,
when in all things lurk death and dis
aster? They dare not indulge their
pet weakness for coffee They eschew
their favorite dainties. They fear 10
come IN contact with their fellows or to
touch the railing, counter. or ear strap,
touched alike by all sorts and condl-
tions of men. They fear contagion in
the doctors Office and blood poisoning
from bis knife. They tear thousand
things in daily life. Meanwhile they
still live,
Certainly science has evolved much
truth, and its warnings are worth the
needing. But the warnings of science.
like all other advice, should be referred
to indicio1ls committee on common
sense It should be remem bered that
doctors sometimes disagree, and the
verdict of one of authority, or half
dozen, is not necessarily the verdict of
science Moreover, a truth NAV be too
sweepingly applied. Circumstances
and individuals differ, and what will
hold good in one case needs modifica-
ton in another. 1t seems to the hard
ened and incredulous that if life be
really so beset with dangers, it is pass
ing strange that generation after gen.