The Perfect Pathogen Read Online Free

of the larger study, one that would long
outlive Dr. Terman himself, was to determine what aspects of health, biology
and lifestyle contributed to a happy, productive and long life. Terman’s
Termites, a name the children of Dr. Terman’s study eventually coined for
themselves, would become the first thoroughly documented cohort of human
beings, many of whom would enjoy full, productive and long lives compared to
all humans who preceded them.
    In hindsight, humans born in 1910
were indeed a very special group. At no better moment in the history of the
Homo sapiens species could one ask to be born. Improving sanitation, clean
water, effective vaccinations and a dependable food supply had begun to take
effect around the globe, and as these children passed through childhood and
entered adolescence, more improvements would take hold.
    The historic milestones were
astonishing: 1922, the first insulin treatment for diabetes; 1927, the first
tetanus vaccine; 1928, Penicillin, the first true antibiotic, is discovered;
1937, the first typhus vaccine; 1945, the first influenza vaccine; 1953: the
first polio vaccine; 1964, the first measles vaccine.
    Indeed, in spite of two world wars
that wiped out over 100 million humans, the war against disease and premature
death in every corner of the globe was being decisively won in humanity’s
favor.
    Year by year the average life span
of humans climbed ever higher. Fewer women would die in childbirth because of
vitamins, improvements in pre-natal care, and something as simple as midwives
using soap and pure water during the delivery of babies. Billions of humans
would be born and, most decisively, live.
    Out of this unprecedented surge in
humanity Terman’s Termites would enjoy a wonderful life at the top of the food
and opportunity chain, riding the crest of history’s largest human population,
industrial and information wave, ensconced in the protective cloak of the most
prosperous state of the most powerful, wealthy and stable nation the world had
ever seen—or would ever see.
    Time passed by and as humanity
entered the 21st century some of Terman’s Termites survived with long and
healthy lives to cross over into being centenarians. These lucky few would look
back over a lifetime of comparative prosperity and opportunity that no other
group of that size had seen in the history of mankind. Their extraordinary
journey, so well-documented by researchers through the years, would, for a very
brief time, serve as a model for all to learn from and look forward to
emulating. Indeed, in the early years of the second decade of the 21st century,
Dr. Terman’s surviving children, their grandchildren and great-grandchildren
were just beginning to appreciate the wonderful gift this valuable research
provided to mankind. The general public was also beginning to fully grasp the
lessons learned from the study. More and more people took the salient
principles to heart and optimistically looked forward to long, prosperous lives
themselves, thanks to the good pathways pointed out by Dr. Terman and his
special children.

CHAPTER 4
     
     
    Rob returned home from work and was immediately
greeted by his children.
    “What’s
for dinner,” they all asked.
    “Oh,
I don’t know,” replied Rob. “What do you guys have in mind?”
    “Since
mom’s not home, how about chicken nuggets and fries?  She says they aren’t that
healthy, so she won’t let us have them very often,” said Brett.
    Hope
and Sam agreed, so chicken nuggets it was. Twenty minutes later they were all
sitting around the table chowing down.
    “Anyone
heard from your mother,” asked Rob.
    “Oops,”
said Sam. “I forgot to tell you. Mom said she’d be a little late because she
had to stop by the hospital to see one of the ladies from the conference who
got sick. She said she’d be home by about 8 p.m. and that she’d call when she
left the hospital.”
    “Sounds
good,” said Rob. “Anybody got homework to do