Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-10-15
ACCOUNTING FOR THINGS

MF Inc human mind is so constituted that 1t seeks to &C
count for things, 1t desires to know why certain things
exist. Things do not exist without cause. What caused
tho phenomena which we observe? The query presents
itself naturally, and the mind sets itself at work to pro-
vide tho answer. Thereby we have reached all that we
know OF science. And thereby we have arrived at the
cries 50 preposterous as to be beyond the reach Of any
thing less fertile than the human imagination.
Some few years ago men Of a certain mental type
undertook to learn definitely what 1t was that distributed
yellow fever. They went at it Systematically. They
went where yellow fever prevailed. taking their life in
their hands. BY means of certain ingenious devices they
eliminated certain elements and studied carefully those
that remained. By alternate elimination and observation
they established the fact that the disease was communi-
Gated to man by the bite of a certain type of mosquito.
Tho mystery OF centuries had been solved. The breeding
places Of these insects were destroyed, and that which had
been q devastating plague was banished from the earth.
Just now the medical world is trying to learn just
how and Why influenza spreads as it does. 1t may be that
in the search some martyrs will lay down their lives. just
as other martyrs died in the search for the cause Of yell
low fever. But sooner or later the earnest labors of
seif-acrifcing men will be crowned with success, and
the world will be rid of another plague.
But the search for causes is by no means confined
TO the professional man. The layman also wants to know,
and among laymen, as possibly, among those supposed
to be OF the learned, there are those who prefer the short
cut to the careful tracing Of the winding path, who de-
light in the bizarre and grotesoue. and who reject tho
simple and direct because Of Its very simplicity and d.
reetnesa.
1t is to those Of the latter type that what appears to
be the latest explanation Of the spread Of influenza in
the United States makes its special appeal. The story.
told With variations. but always with abundance of pic
turesque detail. Is, briefly. that three German physicians
In q prison camp in an eastern state were caught scatter
Ing influenza germs in such a manner that the wind
would carry them to congested sections near by; and the
usual version is that these men were brought up stand
ing. were compelled to dig their own graves right where
they stood. and were there and then shot, each falling
accurately into the opening which he had prepared for
himself 81
That story is manfestly an invention. But it is so
much moro thrilling and mysterious than the simple and
rational explanation that the latter has no chance what
ever. 1t Is an established fact that influenza Of the type
which now prevails has occurred periodically and rather
regularly during the past two thousand years and more.
Having become epidemic in ono section 1t has spread
throughout tho inhabited world. In tho present case it
1t had the temerity to attack that paragon Of princes, the
emperor OF Germany, who, most fortunately, has recov-
cred, for there are interesting experiences due Wilhelm
II. which should not be obstructed by any more sneeze
bug. Ships and people are crossing and recrossing the
Atlantic constantly, and II a disease 80 easily ana rapidly
spread as influenza did not spread now we should then
have a phenomenon Of itself requiring explanation. Blu
the plain and reasonable explanation will not sufce. and
We must have instead something wonderful and nys.
tericusL We must account for things in some way. and
many of US will insist on choosing the most wierd and
wonderful way.