Of men and microbes

AFTER a lapse of some decades, germs and disease have again been very much on our minds, largely because of the dreadful impact of AIDS throughout the world. We have also had a reawakened consciousness that globally prevalent diseases like tuberculosis and malaria remain historic scourges. 

Now, the daily news tells us of new outbreaks such as SARS (severe acute pulmonary syndrome) spreading from China throughout the world, with an outcome that cannot be confidently predicted at this time.