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55
easily conveyed by contact. Only those who nurse
and who are not predisposed to take the disease
should touch the patient, and all persons who are
predisposed should he prevented embracing, kissing,
or otherwise coming in contact with the diseased
body.
Conclusion.
I might have extended these general remarks, but
I hope I have said enough to show you the nature
of one set of enemies with which we have to deal.
When we consider their insidious nature, their
extensive existence, and the ease with which they
are diffused, we may, perhaps, congratulate ourselves
that they are not more destructive than they are.
At the same time it should be recollected, that our
knowledge of the laws of the nature of these diseases
is much more accurate than formerly, and that we
now know enough to show us that more active and
intelligent sanitary legislation would be of the
greatest possible benefit. What we want is Imperial
and compulsory Acts of Parliament for the removal
of the sources of disease and death, and not local
and permissive measures. At the same time, it is
quite useless to pass Acts of Parliament unless
people are prepared to employ them and act under
them. This can only be done by teaching the people,
both high and low, the laws by which health and
strength may be secured, and disease prevented