Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-04-09
LETTERS ON NATURAL HISTORY.
Rudimentary Forms of Life,
by On. HIRAM A. CUTTING
GERMS or CoNTAGIoN,

GERMS OF CoNTAGIoN.
We have spoken of the germs of conta
gipn known rs bacteria, vibriones, etc
yetthe special organism that is able t,
produce contagious disease is still in it,
form and appearance. in most cases, un
known With putrefaction comes :
swarm \of bacteria which, if the living
tissues pf man are contaminated will
them, bN incubation, produce sicknes:
and oflen death. A physician in Lowell
Mass, dissolved some virus of the kline
pox for va ccnation, in water, so as to
vaccina!e by bit Of thread saturated by
this solution. The particles of animal
matter attracted the bacteria, doubtless
from atmospheric germs, and the solution
impaired deathly sickness to all thus vac.
cinated. and the courts acquitted the ply
sician of any evil intent. though many
lives were sacrificed through ignorance of
well known principle. Physicians are
educated in their dissections not to cut
their fingers or to use their dissectine
knives even on living flesh, thus guarding
against the incubation of the living tissues
with the virus impaired by the living or
ganisms from the dead. Here we have n
direct connection of microscopic life with
disease, and from this some reason dog
bite is often difficult to heal, and some
times fatal, as the dog feasts upon putres-
cent matter. In the contagious diseases,
as measles, small pox, scarlatina, dipthe.
ria, etc, various forms of bacteria or fun.
gold growth are always present in the
secretlons OF the mouth, nose, etc., yet the
principle of contagion is not well UNDER
stood. 1t is very evident from what is
known that all diseases of this character
are frequently conveyed by persons that
have been about the sick. Or by articles of
clothing which have been in the room,
have about them germs Of infection. This
would seem 10 show positively that there
were IN some way germs of disease ema-
mating from the sick. ready to take root or
produce disease under proper and flvora-
bic circumstances. Remember that con.
tagious diseases do not require the touch
to communicate; and, in fact, that touch is
usually harmless.
Then again, as we examine the plant
growth upon the tongue of the infant, and
know that all nlants through the wide
world are subject to that growth known
as thrash, we can only suppose that the
little seeds of This plant float in the atmos-
phere, ready like the thistle or dandelion
seed, to take root and grow where they
find favorable place for vegetation. The
diphtheria also is of kindred character,
being caused, without doubt, in the same
manner, yet only vegetating in persons
who from som, predsposin5 cause are
susceptible to the c)ntagion. Thus it hap
pens that so ne members of II family
escape while others are stricken down in
fatal manner. 1t is not, by far. every
head of grain that is infected with smut,
and yet We can but believe that every
plant has been exposed to contagion
When the rust first visits field of grain
it is only Il straw here and there that is
affected, yet the entire crop may soon be
so; so it is with diphtheria and other con-
tagious diseases.
The typhoid fever has been quite we'll
established to be ground contagion, or,
in other words, that the germs of that
disease may work themselves in some
way through the ground into our wells
and springs, and that the ,lse Of such con-
taminated water is likely to produce the
fever. 1t is true the germ of contagion
has never been seen. We seldom see the |
midnight robber, yet he does his work,
and we do t ubt that both the typhoid |
germ and the rob jer exist.
All this teacle, Us that we must use
care where we have no. positive knowl-
edge. The mierosc pe fails to detect
many things that we have knowledge OF
as facts. grain of musk will highly
scent a room for hundreds of years; yet
no microscope can detect the Particles
that reason tells us must float in the at
mosphere of that room, and more. the
musk will weigh as much at the end as
when first placed in the room. Senses
even more acute than the eye, aided by
the micro scope, show divisions rs In this
case. Again, we are in the woods with
the arlml of the spruce and fir, inter-
mingled with the sweet spring violcts and J
other wild flowers Of the forest. We are
sensible of their existence, yet the micro
scope cannot reveal the particles which
reason tells us are thrown off to give us
through the organs of smell knowledge of
their ex stence. though we might be blind.
With such examples before us, should |
not every dwelling, not only in our cities
and villages, but in the country also, be
protected, us far as in human power, from
germs of disease? How many country
cellars in springtime are pits of contagion,
rs it were, sending their noxous vapors
loaded with disease all through the house
and how often the close proximity of out
houses and stagnant pools from sink
spouts render the atmosphere about those
homes aim ISL unrndurable to those not
accustomed by long familiarity to Eoxions
vapors. Who wonders when with our
pleasant homes thus contaminated that we
have class of diseases unknown to those
that lived in open houses, thus assuring
them good ventilation.
Let us take heed, remembering that
what we can see is but a small portion of
what really is, That while the human
mind is ever grasping for the wild. the
picturesque and wonderful. often crafty
ing morbid curiosity with imaginary
visions of ghosts. fairies, and demons,
worlds of joy, and bits OF pain, or more
nationally seeking mountain scenery, with
enchanting landscapes, or beautiful water
falls prottooJ caves and complicated