The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-03-02

| typhus, and all malarious fevcrs, is by no
means a new one. II has long been advo-
Gated as tho best attainable explanation
of epidemic phenomena. Physicians, how
ever, are not unanimous in its favor, and
many scientific men say that the alleged ex-
istencc Of disease germs in the air is rs yet
merely an assumption which must be proved
| before we can reason upon the subject
But Professor TYNDALL has at least shown
that there are myriads ofliving partcles-that
| Is, living in tho same sense as plants live,
and perhaps ne animals also-noating about
In the atmosphere of oil great cities and
that In London man breathes into his lungs
about thirty-sevcn and half millions of
these living germs in the space Of ten hours.
Certainly this fact, taken in connection with
many others previously known, greatly
Strengthens the probability in favor Of the
germ theory Of disease and II, with Pro.
lessor TYNDALL, VIC assume it to DO true,
tho question at once arises how can we guard
against the entrance of these dangerous par
ticles into the body2
OF course, all organic germs cannot DO re-
garded as certainly productive of injury 10
the human system, but only such as arc tho
seeds of disease. Professor TYNDALL sug-
gests as the best safeguard the cotton
wool respirator. placed so as to cover
the mouth and nostrils II com
pletely filters the air, and all impurities, both
living and inorganic, arc removed In passing
through it. Tho distinguished lecturer said
that In his opinion such resprators must
come into general use as defence against
contagion. BY means of them tho nox.
ious mir around n patient may be made pure,
and the attendants can breathe it unframed
For lin oil probability" says Professor
TYNDALL, the protection of tho lungs will
be the protection Of the entire system"
These recent experiments and discoveries
In this most interesting field of scientific in.
vestigation, show us the wisdom of many
customary precautions against disease, the
reasons of which have not heretofore been
clearly understood. OF this character is the
custom Of kindling fires to purify the atmos-
phcre during the prevalence of an epidemic
also the use of closely woven net curtains in
malarious localities az n preventive of fever
and the habit of travellers always TO sleep
with the mouth closed and II possible GOV.
cred, in fever districts. Mr.. WALLER, an Afri.
can traveller, and member Of the English
Royal Geographical Society, says that while
on the banks of the Zambezi river, where
the marshes rendered the country particu.
lnrly unhealthy, his party found much pro
lection from disease merely by the use of
mosquito curtains After being tumbled
about in travel, the fibre of the material be-
came so frayed as TO form in connection with
the network fine gauze. The dew, falling
at night upon this, formed a perfect filter
for the unhealthy air and those who used
these curtains were able to mako long jour.
neys through this miasmatic region without
q days illness from fever.
There is still very much that battles reason
and inquiry In regard TO epidemic disease
but II the great questions belonging to this
branch of science arc ever to he answered,
it can only be through the continuance of pa.
uent, profound, and practical Investigations
by able men, such as these of Professor TYN.
DALI To which We have rcfcrrod