The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1904-07-04


own baiorsd state Iast ysar u T.
redo part OF this sans sfzzeient
force was transferred here 70 assist
oar state and county health offers
la It's determination. and the valus
OF their services to us can scarcely
be over estimated. They are still
stationed ut Laredo and other towns
along our Mexican border, on the
watch for the disease which they
greatly fear will again be introduced
from Mexico the coming summer.
There is little ioubt that there are
other Developments awaiting u
along this line, and that IN the
course OF q few years we will Do
directing our attention to the mos
quito entirely for the prevention OF
malaria. There are competent Observ-
ers at work on this theory, aud we
shall listen 10 what they may have
to say.
They are many other interesting
twentieth century aspects of dis.
ease, such as the X-ray appliances.
Radium, the new element which has
just come upon the arena with Its
large possibilities. But they ali
pale into insigniticance when COM
pared with the germ theory OF dis
ease. 1t was q knowledge of germs
that completely revolutionized all
departments Of medicine and sur
gerry.
Just what this and the succeeding
centuries will bring in the matter of
DISCRIMINATING disease 10 difficult 10
predict. Though by the light Of
the very recent past II would seem
that few shadows have been cast
into the future. Ia lbs, now little
more than "a century ago, DR., Jen-
ner, an English physician, diseov-
cred and made known the preventa.
tive Of smallpox. At that time this
disease easily ranked all others
In It's mortality In it's loathsotneneas
aud in its designation of The hu-
man race. Now il can scarcely be
seen in It's original. type anywhere
on the face Of the globe. Can we
not hope that within another cen
fury Ii will be known only in hta-
tory? There are today thousands Of
patients In all parts Of the world
lying on beds OF Affections suffering
with that lingering disease typhoid
fever This 10 a disease easily pre-
ventsble, its spread being largely
attributable 40 our common house
fiies. II is also probable tia: 81
immunity to this disease can be pro.
duead by incubation. IL IL toe
mach 20 predict that this too will be
Numbered with ttsa diseases OF ire
past.
When physicians can 20 among an
ignorant and foreign population and
accomplish what our ST. III j. did
accom- lish fl Havana, IL 1t Too
mach to expect that every yellow
fever carrying mosquito on the
globe will be exteFmiuaesd, or at
least, be- prevented them from be-
coming infected with the diasaaeg
The problem Of immunity ~ nov
attracting much attention. Just
why one attack NJ measles renders
"a patient immune, and prevents snb-
sequent attacks Is difficult TO ex-
plain. AMI its explain alton from a
scientific standpoint has only re-
Gently been attempted. Il Ia a
broad field add one In which many
scientific men are devoting their Gu
tire. time. IL 10 science within
Itself, aud almost has q language Of
iis own. When it's many difaeuit
problems have been solved We ex
peet 10 receive from II practical re-
suits. In the future when q child 10
born into the world II will be vac
einated, inoculAtsd. aud rendered
immune 10 many Of the diseases
which now Turk at every mile stone
along the pathway from the cradle
to che grave.
TO my mind the practice Of meds-
cine of the future will not be- so
mach 81 pills and lotions as II las
been Ia the past but will consist Of
vaccination, incubation, aud general
preventative medicine.