Алая чума

           “You,Edwin,areagoatherd. Yourtaskistowatchthegoats. Youknowagreatdealaboutgoats. Abacteriologistwatchesgerms.That’shistask,andheknowsagreatdealaboutthem. So,asIwassaying,thebacteriologistsfoughtwiththegermsanddestroyedthem—sometimes. Therewasleprosy,ahorribledisease. AhundredyearsbeforeIwasborn,thebacteriologistsdiscoveredthegermofleprosy. Theyknewallaboutit.Theymadepicturesofit.Ihaveseenthosepictures. Buttheyneverfoundawaytokillit. Butin1984,therewasthePantoblastPlague,adiseasethatbrokeoutinacountrycalledBrazilandthatkilledmillionsofpeople. Butthebacteriologistsfounditout,andfoundthewaytokillit,sothatthePantoblastPlaguewentnofarther. Theymadewhattheycalledaserum,whichtheyputintoaman’sbodyandwhichkilledthepantoblastgermswithoutkillingtheman. Andin1910,therewasPellagra,andalsothehookworm. Thesewereeasilykilledbythebacteriologists. Butin1947therearoseanewdiseasethathadneverbeenseenbefore. Itgotintothebodiesofbabiesofonlytenmonthsoldorless,anditmadethemunabletomovetheirhandsandfeet,ortoeat,oranything; andthebacteriologistswereelevenyearsindiscoveringhowtokillthatparticulargermandsavethebabies. 

           “Inspiteofallthesediseases,andofallthenewonesthatcontinuedtoarise,thereweremoreandmoremenintheworld. Thiswasbecauseitwaseasytogetfood.