The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1877-02-12
What Causes the Prevailing Disease ?

On the subject of the germ theory, we
think the following extracts interesting to
the people at this time:
Lyonel S. Beale. NJ. B., f. r. S.. Fellow
of Royal College ofPhysicians; Physician to
King S College Hospital, etc, etc in his work
entitled Germ Theory Of Diseases, lsays:
The facts are conclusive as regards the liy-
ing state of the active matter of contagious
disease. DR.. Beale believes the germs
which produce disease Of an epidemic or
contagious character, to be altogether of
animal origin. He says there is, however,
no possibility of identifying the different
kinds of bioplasmatic. ge1DaindI, matter
under the microscope. Animal or vegeta-
bic, they resemble each other, and they
cannot be distinguished from particles of
germinal matter derived from the living
mucus or pus, or white blood corpuscles of
man himself AS to their vitality. some
organisms live for length OF time impris
oned in solid ice, while there may be or
ganlsms which possess the remarkable
property Of resisting the destructive infu-
ence OF a temperature ot,3000 or $500 f.
In describing vegetable germs, he says,
these germs and ge1meuleS are composed of
central living bioplaSne, and external
IfOT0led material constituting a cell aUdU,
but originating from the bioplasm only,
Examined under power of 1000 dame
tiers, many of the gemules are less than the
100000 of an inch in diameter; but cap
able OF growing like the parent cell, and
giving origin to countless descendants
These spores are alsu 50 light as to be
easily transported in the atmosphere and
thus constitute germs IN the ar. Bodies
100 times heavier than these may be sus
, pended in the air Hence, it is not to be-
wondered at that MILL, MS Of these should
exist almost everywhere; floating in th(
atmosphere, deposited upon everything
: and ready TO undergo development when
: ever the conditions may be favorable
Aud though millions be DESTROYED, single
one may devel0pe under suitable
circumstances. As to the manner ii
a0hach germs might enter the body, it i.
t alleged that particles so minute (beina
r much smaller than the blood corpuscue.
themselves could easily pass into til,
. blood through the soft mucous covering 0
! the mouth or stomach, entering thest
2 recesses with food and water. They
e would extend lnwards, not as an am9ba
, but by growth aud free multiplication il
= the substance Of the Eepitheiium, as tn
result OF which they would get neare
g and bearer the blood which they woulC
G finally attain. Here immersed they woulC
+ grow and multiply rapidly. In speaking
OF disease germs, he says, these resemble
: one another In general appearance
y Neither by its form, chemical composition
? or other demonstrable properties coult
4 the vaccine germ be distinguished from
the smallpox germ, or the pus germ iron
= either All resemble the minute particle
: Of bioplasm Of the blood, from which the
q have probably been derived; but from
a which they differ so remarkably 10 power
J DIR. Richardson says there is physiolog
u ical tendency to special disease which i
{. explainatle as due to physiological pecuI
< iarity of secretion and possibly to nervou
: influence over secretion. To illustrate
>, ln certain household five members Twin
under precisely the same conditions, wer
/, attacked with common cold. In one tn
c secretions Of the throat and nose under
&c went sudden change; there was absorptio
of poisonousl secretion; diphtheriti
asthenia was then set up, and there wa
!. rapid death; while in all the other case
u there was no more than catarrh. In thi
= case difference of secretion caused tn
i germinal matter to undergo rapid chang
L and transformation into a poison; in th
others the secretion remained unchange
r. so that the poison did not act.