The quote from "Mountains Beyond Mountains" suggests that diseases can reflect the struggles of individuals living in challenging situations. It emphasizes the idea that when a single person suffers from illness, it may highlight personal circumstances, but when diseases spread on a large scale, they are indicative of broader societal issues. This implies that epidemics often stem from underlying disturbances within a community or society as a whole.

In essence, the text portrays health crises not merely as isolated incidents but as symptoms of larger systemic problems affecting populations. When epidemics arise, they can reveal the impact of social inequities, economic hardships, and environmental factors on collective health, underscoring the interconnectedness of individual and public health challenges.