[Life On The Mississippi by Mark Twain]@TWC D-Link book
Life On The Mississippi

CHAPTER 28 Uncle Mumford Unloads
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No, there will always be one or two with the other diseases along between.

And as you proceed, you will find out one or two other things.

You will find out that there is no distemper of the lot but is contagious; and you cannot go where it is without catching it.

You may vaccinate yourself with deterrent facts as much as you please--it will do no good; it will seem to 'take,' but it doesn't; the moment you rub against any one of those theorists, make up your mind that it is time to hang out your yellow flag.
Yes, you are his sure victim: yet his work is not all to your hurt--only part of it; for he is like your family physician, who comes and cures the mumps, and leaves the scarlet-fever behind.

If your man is a Lake-Borgne-relief theorist, for instance, he will exhale a cloud of deadly facts and statistics which will lay you out with that disease, sure; but at the same time he will cure you of any other of the five theories that may have previously got into your system.
I have had all the five; and had them 'bad;' but ask me not, in mournful numbers, which one racked me hardest, or which one numbered the biggest sick list, for I do not know.


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