The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-31

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 one of the beliefs that has grown in acceptance is that germs cause disease. This theory was brought forth about the time of the publica- ton of the first edition of the Chris tian Science textbook. Microbes and germs were not topics of daily dis cussion in that day, yet 1t is evi- dent from the one sentence in which these words appear in the present edition of the textbook, how MT. Eddy classified them. On page 164, in speaking of doctors, she says: Tt is just to say that generally the cultured class of medical practition- CTS are grand men and women, therefore they are more scientific than are false claimants to Chris tian Science. But all human sys- tems based on material premises are minus the unction of divine Sci- ence. Much yet remains to be said and done before all mankind is saved and all the mental microbes of sin and all diseased thought germs are exterminated."
 Contagion Mental
 The beliefs that are entertained regarding the germ theory are in the same process of change which goes on in everything connected with disease and its treatment. In the beginning it was contended that every contagious or infectious dis ease had its germs, but it has since been discovered that there are not enough germs to go around. So now it is maintained that some con- tagious diseases are caused by what is called a virus. Yellow fever is one of them. Fluid in which the contagious material is presumed to be present is filtered and all of the microscopic forms of vegetation called germs are left behind. The fluid thus filtered contains nothing that can be seen under the highest powered microscope. But 1t does contain the contagion. No one has ever seen it, but it acts contagious ly. Thus unseen belief of fear is called virus.
 One of the most epochal and dra- matic events in sanitary research was the discovery that the bite of a mosquito which had previously bitten person suffering from yellow fever was followed by this disease. Remarkably enough, although there seems to be no comment upon 1t, the mosquito lived its allotted time of six weeks while harboring and developing this contagion, while the human being often succumbed to it very quickly. An article which appeared in 8 current magazine, written by physician of note, de- scribes this conquest of yellow fever, and points out that it was based on the proposition that yellow fever was conveyed from man to man by this mosquito alone. On the basis of this conviction many cities were rid of yellow fever. The results seemed conclusive. However, in 1928 there appeared in Rio de Janeiro four hundred cases of yellow fever, although the city was one of those that had been freed of yellow fever, and which had subsequently, been kept free of mosquitoes. And then it was discovered that there was an immense back country filled with yellow fever where there were no yellow fever mosquitoes to transmit 1t.
 No doubt thousands of lives have been saved through the belief that the destruction of mosquitoes would stop the course of yellow fever. Nev- ertheless, the greatest conviction that sanitary science has ever had, and one that had ben thought to be SO completely demonstrated as to leave no possible room for doubt, has been disproved, and the search for the method of transmission is again going on. In this particular instance it was not enough to be rid of mos quitoes. The disease had been expe- rienced by millions of people. Ac- cording to the writer of this article, tests showed that seventy per cent of them had had it and had recovered. They believed in its symptoms, they believed in its cantagiousness, and that is all that is needed to perpet- uate belief of disease.
 Truth Destroys Error
 Some day when the world shall have advanced spiritually and when the law of God is more generally recognized, there will also be an in- creased knowledge of the human or mortal mind and its activities, and it will then be seen that yellow fever is mental. Then the realization of the mental nature of disease and the power of divine Mind to heal will rid the world of its miasmas, and we shall all look for healing where it may be found.
 The germ theory has gradually ex- tended itself until it includes all in- hammations. Where a few years ago certain diseased conditions of the body were classified as inf1amfna- tions, now the word most frequently used is infection" This means that germs are said to be present and to be causing the trouble. Logically, if germs are present, they must come