The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1894-11-09
UnwelcOme Discoveries.

Unwelcome Discoveries.
Modern science has made many
wonderful discovery, but unfortu-,
natcly not all of its discoveries are
welcomee 1t has revealed the beau
tiful processes of nature, but it has
also revealed her destroying agencies.
The more closely man has studied,
the more complicated has he found
conditions and the more dangers has
he recognized. Where all is out
wardly lovely, he has found inward
harm. The microscope has disclosed
minute horrors, none the less horri-
bic because minute. The telescope,
as it sweeps the heavens with its far
seeing eye, has foretold stupcndous
catastrophcs. Much h at 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
confidence that whatever is, is right.
They had faith in all things. To-
day people have faith in nothing.
They arc like pilgrims walking
through the valley of the shadow of
death, feeling thick about them hor-
rors they could not see. They have
learned that the very air, once con-
siderea I;ss.
pied with fcrocious microbes seeking
whom they may devour. They i'm
agine their insdious enemies pcrchet
on restaurant chairs, sitting atilt on
the passing coin, flying from shoul-
der to shoulder in the jostling crowd
They have learned that the water
they drink swarms with life and car
rics 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 dig est
and so on through all known menus.
They have learned that imperfect
sanitation and ventilation endancer
health, and that proper conditions
are, moreover, very rarely attained.
Nor is it in everyday affairs alone
that science has pointed out the dan
gers that await man. Through all
the realm of human interests it has
conjured up evils. Its warning cry
runs the gamut of calamites from
the danger of not exercising enough
up to the danger of the race multi
plying too fast for the earth to sup
port it and the equally dramatic
danger of the earth flying from it's
orbit and rushing into the warm
embrace of the sun.
Sensitive souls are reduced to a
state of abject terror when they think
of the small chance man has of life,
health and prosperity, in the face of
these ogres of science. What shall
they eat, whercwithal shall they be
clothed, what can they in safety do,
when in all things lurk death and
disaster? They dare not indulge
their pet weakness for coffee. They
eschew their favorite daintics. They
fear to come in contact with their
fellows or to touch the railing, counter
OF car strap, touched alike by all
sorts and conditions of men. They
fear contagion in the doctors office
and blood poisoning from his knife.
They fear thousand things in daily
life. Meanwhile they still live.
Certainly science has evolved
much truth, and its warnings are
worth the needing. But the warn
ings of science, like all other advice,
should be referred to a .judicious COM
mittee on common sense. 1t should
be remembered that doctors some
times disagree, and the verdict of one
authority, or a half dozen, is not
necersarily the verdict of science.
Moreover, truth may be too sweep
ingly applied. Circumstances and
individuals differ, and what will hold
good in one case needs modification
in another. 1t seems to the har-
dened and incredulous that if life be
really so beset with dangers, it is
passing strange that generation after
generation should have lived and
thrived in their midst. and this also
without a knowledge of their cxis-
tencc. If our ancestors, knowing
nothing of these wonderful
discoveries of hidden evil, managed
to avoid the pitfalls, why not we?
Does mere knowledge of danger make
one more susceptible to its effects
Where is the wisdom that should ac-
company increasing knowledge? ?
Natural living and confidence in ma
ture are the best safeguards against
such evils. Common sense is the
best of 1isin fcctonfS and ,vork tbo