ttle pamphlets and sermons.
Imbeciles!...Tuberculosis! Everybody knows the true remedy, which would
be the paying of sufficient wages, and the tearing down of the filthy
tenements into which the laborers are packed--those who are the most
useful and the most unfortunate among our population! But needless to
say, no one wants that remedy, so we go round begging the workingmen not
to spit on the sidewalks. Wonderful! But syphilis--why do you not occupy
yourself with that? Why, since you have ministers whose duty it is to
attend to all sorts of things, do you not have a minister to attend to
the public health?"

"My dear Doctor," responded Monsieur Loches, "you fall into the French
habit of considering the government as the cause of all evils. Show us
the way, you learned gentlemen! Since that is a matter about which you
are informed, and we are ignorant, begin by telling us what measures you
believe to be necessary."

"Ah, ah!" exclaimed the other. "That's fine, indeed! It was about
eighteen years ago that a project of that nature, worked out by the
Academy of Medicine, and approved by it UNANIMOUSLY, was sent to the
proper minister. We have not yet heard his reply."

"You really believe," inquired Monsieur Loches, in some bewilderment,
"you believe that there are some measures--"

"Sir," broke in the doctor, "before we get though, you are going to
suggest some measures yourself. Let me tell you what happened today.
When I received your card I did not know that you were the father-in-law
of George Dupont. I say that you were a deputy, and I thought that you
wanted to get some information about these matters. There was a woman
patient waiting to see me, and I kept her in my waiting-room--saying to
myself, This is just the sort of person that our deputies ought to talk
to."

The doctor paused for a moment, then continued: "Be reassured, I will
take care of your nerves. This patient has no trouble that is apparent
to the eye. She is simply an illustration of the argument I have been
advancing--that our worst enemy is ignorance. Ignorance--you understand
me? Since I have got you here, sir, I am going to hold you until I have
managed to cure a little of your ignorance! For I tell you, sir, it is
a thing which drives me to distraction--we MUST do something about these
conditions! Take this case, for example. Here is a woman who is very
seriously infected. I told her--well, wait; you shall see for yourself."

The doctor w