Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 59.djvu/568

558 themselves their sleeping places, food and clothing, but are at many points under subjection. Not only are they densely massed together, but they are not adapted to the new environment, even after they become veterans, who may be classed as respects immunity with the commercial traveler and the 'globe-trotter.'

War and pestilence are twin brothers, but they do not always work side by side. Often pestilence follows war; more rarely they reap their dreadful harvest on the same day. The word 'pestilence' should be understood to include not merely the grave plagues that have decimated the human race, but the less severe epidemics of disease which have spread over large areas of space and affected to a less extent great numbers of the human family. Even thus, however, in comparison, the deadliness of war is far surpassed by its grim camp-follower. Where the one slays its thousands, the other destroys its ten thousands.

In this country, the epidemic visitations following war have been both mitigated and severe. We fought Great Britain in the Revolution, and soon after were afflicted with maladies some of which had not before tormented our people. Soon after 1780 the daily papers of Boston, New York and Philadelphia were filled with advertisements of remedies for the itch, a malady which had never before so multiplied on our soil, water being abundant, soap cheap and the habits of our forefathers cleanly. The War of 1812 was chiefly naval and its aftermath of disease insignificant, for the reason that of all afloat the American war vessel has ever been the most scrupulously clean. But the Mexican War was followed by an epidemic of cholera of severe grade; and the late Civil War was the precursor of a succession of typho-malarial fevers that were previously almost unknown save in certain special localities and to physicians there resident. In a similar way the plague followed the Saracen armies under Mahomet in 622; syphilis spread through Europe after the campaign of the dissolute Frenchmen who followed to Italy the standard of Charles VIII.; and the English paid a price for the crushing of the last of the Plantagenets on Bosworth field in the epidemic of 'sweating sickness' that ensued.

Our late war with Spain was followed by an epidemic disorder which spread extensively throughout the United States, and which has attracted but little attention from our public economists, for the reason that it has been suggested to few to see the results in a comprehensive survey of the broad area involved in the extension of the disease. The malady spread from the eastern and southern borders of the United States to the Middle West, and thence in regular progression to the Pacific Slope, including in its progress not merely the States where there are efficient health boards, possessing ample powers and trained officials, operating with modern methods, such as New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois; but also the as yet partially