Humanity has but three great enemies: fever, famine, and war; of these by far the greatest, by far the most terrible, is fever.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Osler identifies disease, lack of food, and conflict as humanity's biggest threats, ranking disease highest.
- In plain terms
- Fever is the worst enemy compared to war and famine.
- What can you take from it?
- Prioritize fighting infectious diseases over other threats.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What is the greatest threat today?
- How do we prioritize health?
Another view
Modern contexts might rank war or climate change higher.
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