THE TRANSMISSION OF INFECTIONS

IN CASTING about for a topic which would be interesting enough to express to the Academy and to Mead Johnson my gratitude and pleasure at receiving this award, I hit an unsurmountable snag. I was reminded of the situation which often arises when a large party of people set forth for a climb in the mountains: the more energetic members head for the summit by the shortest route, making use of even the rockiest shortcuts; once up, they rest a bit, survey the horizon and then slither down in a matter of minutes, prepared to give to the stay-at-homes a concise description of the expedition. But there are apt to be a few in the party who mosey along, picking blueberries and looking at the view; they are likely to lose themselves along the way and never reach the the summit; on returning home they seem quite content, but are unable to give anyone else a very clear picture of where they have been. Dr. Wilkins and Doctors Robbins and Weller belong in the first category and I, unfortunately for this occasion, in the second. Rather than applying myself to the study of one problem I seem to have meandered among several. So instead of presenting an exact account of each, I shall try to relate some of the ideas which have come to mind along the way. During the war we were deluged week after week with problems of the most practical sort concerning the management of patients with meningitis, severe diphtheria, croup, rubeola, encephalitis, pertussis, poliomyelitis and so on. And the peacetime experience at the Charity Hospital in New Orleans differs little, in many respects, from wartime experience elsewhere.