Tracing the Secret of Epidemics

Hokitika Guardian, 7 December 1922, Page 4

Tracing the Secret of Epidemics

(By A Physician.) There is at present being carried on in London one of the most remarkable experiments which science has ever conceive d. This is the study of epidemics of disease in a‘large population—of mice. Just as the problems of designing a great ship are worked'out on a tiny model, so tile problem of vast waves of disease, affecting whole continents, are being studied in a room or two. Dr AY. AA'. C. Toplev, whose idea the “mouse population” is, has already come upon some remarkable new facts.

By far the most interesting of these is the strange effect on the mouse colony of immigration into it. As soon as a number of new mice arrive, trouble may be expected. The reason, apparently, is that a population which does not move about establishes a kind of “working agreement” with its besotting sicknesses. These arc present, hut they do not attack. But the moment newcomers arrive the agreement is upset. For these newcomers are not in exactly the same physical condition is the liati es; some of them, at any rate, m e m iv liable ti infection. If they fall ill they begin to spie d their illness at once, because disease, grows more active and dangerous with each new individual it attacks. A’erv soon a great part of the population is “down." Then, provided no fresh arrivals t ike place a now “working agreement” is reached and t'"o epiden i • passes away. Here, obviously is a real explanation at last of the outbreaks of disease which always accompany a war. No matter wluit care may be taken hv the Army doctors, epidemics are sure, sooner or later, t•» aiise when vast bodies of men are “on lhe move”. The importance of thi- v.'.uk for farmers mil stoekhroed vs is obvious. At present they suffer great losses which it would seem, knowledge of these studies of mice might save them. Incidentally we are learning how very complicated is the problem of defence against disease. The old idea that il only wo could rid the world of goruis we should he safe is seen new to belong | 0 (be “Walrus and the Carpenter” period of baste lining v when : “They went like anythin : to see Such quantities of sand.”

Germs lire ove.ywhore in numbers greater even than the sands of the sc. But they are not dangrous except in certain special (auditions. Only when man grows restless and begins to move in his thousands across the face of the earth does <l’sense obtain its opportunity. At present we are without light on the means of avoiding these ill consequences of uur migrations. But this study is stilt only in its infancy.