The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-06-25
UNSTABLE SCIENCE.

Science is nothing, of course, If not pro-
g~ressive. but the nonscientific portion of
mankind would experience great relief and
satisfaction if it would occasionally reach
a definite. demonstrable and fixed conclu-'
sion. This is particularly true as to medical
science. The public is disposed to have a
blind faith in it's doctors-even when the lat
ter are far from belonging to the faith-cure
school-and to accept what they say as law
and gospel whether it tries to live up to 1t
or not. 1t is, therefore. very disturbing to
its faith, as we'll as trying TO it's patience
and wearing upon its nerves. to be called on
at frequent intervals to adopt an entirely
different set of opinions and principles from
those it had been devoutly cherishing as
elemental truth for a long period of time.
There, for instance, is the matter of typhoid
fever. Many years ago. long before the
everyday, un~enlightened citizen dreamed
that every disease named in the almanac
had it's own exclusive microbe, information
concerning the typhoid fever germ was
widely disseminated. Few people even now
nave actually seen this infinitesimal insect,
but 1t is pictured on the mental retina of
most persons as a creature Of malignant
aspect and an evil nature that leads it to
seek refuge in wells, streams and other
sources of water supply for human beings,
with intent to pass therefrom into the hu-
man interior and there wreak destruction.
Great numbers of men and women have had
life made bitter to them by this bit of
scientific lore. The "old oaken bucket"
drawn trimming and cold from the we'll at
grandfather's door ceased to be a thing Of
poetry and refreshment and became an OBJ
ject of danger: the cool spring by the way
side, the sparkling brook in the meadow lost
their charm. and instead of being ~favorite
places for shaking thirst came to be re-
garded as possible pestilence breeders and
to be avoided. Even water drawn through
filter and faucet was looked upon with dis
trust. No water was really above suspicion;
it might not conceal typhoid fever microbes,
but again it might. Nervous worries OIL this
account and the substitutes for plain water
adopted by some have probably shortened
more lives than the untrammeled microbe
would have done. And now, it appears,
water is not a source of danger. after all.
The fever bacillus is as wicked and relent-
less as he was originally portrayed. but he
has other ways of penetrating the human
system than through a fluid used so sparing-
ly by a considerable class of persons.
After having preached the dangers OF water
for so long a time the medical sharps have
suddenly determined that water has very
little 10 do with the spread of typhoid, but
that it is transmitted by means Of the
atmosphere, the wind carrying dust. and by
flies. Now, as every one knows, it is i'm
possible for the vast majority Of the earth's
Inhabitants to live 50 far from their kin
that each can breathe an exclusive and pure
atmosphere Of his own: 1t is an accepted. II
not an absolutely scientific. fact that every
one must eat his peck of dust, and II there
is any way of entirely escaping from the
~insinuating and intrusive fly 1t has not been
made known to the multitude. The Journal
declines to take the responsibility Of advis-
ing people TO resume the drinking Of water
from we'll and rill. since even though the
typhoid bacillus does not Turk there. it may
presently be found that it harbors the
microbes of other plaques. 1t is the ten
dency of modern science to see dange to
existence in every quarter. and 1t is not
likely that water. though freed of one
enemy, will be held innocuous. But what
the Journal does advise is that since we
must breathe. and must encounter more or
less dust and numerous flies. and cannot
help ourselves. it is just a well to go about
our business and forget that the air and