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Civilization and Health
Since the times of the alchemists, chemists have contributed heavily to the science of therapeutics. We have isolated and purified substances from natural sources and for over a century have also produced synthetic materials of this purpose. In some respects, the endeavor has been most fruitful. In particular, the combination of measures of public sanitation with effective chemotherapeutic agents has succeeded in reducing the incidence of infectious diseases so that, in the United States, these account for less than one death in twenty. Infant mortality statistics have also improved. In spite of this, mortality statistics for adults have proved stubbornly resistant to improvement.