Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1883-03-22
WONDERFUL REVELATIONS OF THE
MICROSCOPE.
Discovery OF the most Deadly Enemy
OF Mankind. The bacillus and Its
RaVapes.

Discovery OF the most Deadly Enemy
OF Mankind. The Bacillus and It's
Ravages.
and agitated OF late by the discovery with the
microscope OF the most dreadful enemy OF
mankind In the form OF myriads OF little death
dealing parasites The air we breathe and live
In Ia charged with these deadly little growths
In proportion as IL Is infected from various
noxious sources. Having by recent expert
ments and research been shown To be- the most
fruitful cause of disease known, and the wei
fare and health OF every individual depending
so largely on the freedom from their destruc-
tive ravages, it is but natural that the reports
Of recent investigators In this field of scientific
inquiry should be widely read, and that every
phase Of these astounding discoveries should
be subject To universal discussion. AZ first
received with some suspicion they have at
length been thoroughly proven and are now
receiving the unqualified endorsements OF the
leading scientific men throughout the world.
But little else Is talked of in the schools and
clubs OF science, and the medical and scientific
journals are crowded with the testimony that
Is being added corroborative of the value Of the
marvellous discovery which Is pronounced the
greatest advance In medical science of modern
times.
To l.. Pasteur, the eminent French scientist,
who by his learned Investigations has saved TO
France so many million dollars, Is probably
due the honor of first pointing out the terrible
power OF these germs. In recognition of his
great service the government has recently
voted him $4,000 withwhich TO continue his
experiments. He has described several varie-
ties OF these parasites, some comparatively
harmless, Others extremely dangerous. One
form he proved by series OF vaccinations and
other conclusive experiments was the cause Of
death OF many thousands of animals and herds
or cattle; another, the active agent in the death
of fowls by cholera. Acting upon the knowl-
edge he had gained of the nature of these germs
he pointed out means of relief that speedily
prevented a spread Of the disease and ended
their devastation.
Tyndal, with the aid Of other eminent Eng
lish investigators, made n number Of eXamina-
lions OF the Heating particles In the atmos-
phere, and found numbers of living spores
capable of producing disease. In dry and
healthy localities but few germs were found,
and these OF the harmless varieties, while In
low, damp places, crowded houses and un-
healthy cities, the poisonous germs were ex-
tremely numerous everywhere.
DIR. Rudolph Koch, Of Wallstein, Germany. IA
| man whose work in connection with the organ
| isms OF contagious diseases has made him a
recognized authority upon the subject, by eX-
perimenting after the methods of Nillemin, has
discovered and published an account of one of
the most dangerous varieties. to which II is
proven more deaths are due than 10 any disease
incident to the human race.
lie describes IL as simple cellular organism
IL
| When dried the germs may, without losing any
vitality, endure great extremes Of temperature
Being as fine and as light as dust, invisible to
| the naked eye, they may be blown any distance
by the wind or carried upon the clothing or
body. Like seeds, they NAV lie for months or
years undisturbed upon the furniture floor,
carpets, curtains, walls, or in the bedding and
only requiring proper degree OF warmth,
moisture and food TO waken into life, develop,
and grow. They thrive and live I'm the blood,
lNsNttf and
body. When the system is unhealthy or weak
| they attack the cells that make up the animal
frame Any albuminous fluid will furnish
them with food for growth, and single drop
Is sufficient TO contain hundreds. Examined
| with microscopes of great power, which enlarge
them so that they can he seen and studied, they
have the appearance of minute rod-ike bodies
having, when active, some power of motion.
They bend in the middle like bow and
straighten with jerk that sends them few
| times their own length. At the temperature OF
the human body they are the most active.
Their power OF increase or reproduction is
remarkably great. One germ in few weeks
time, under favorable conditions, will give rise
| 20 millions. The process Is by simple growth
and division. Cold destroys or prevents their
growth and this is why refrigeration prevents
| decay OF meats and other animal foods. Expos
ed 10 warmth these small organisms attack and
eat up the albuminous tissues leaving a foul
mass. bhe odor so common TO this process
| are given of by these minute organisms, and Is
about the only indication OF their presence.
This is the warning of nature and 1t is an in
stinct 10 avoid all such smells. The foul
| breath, bad odors of old sores, etc, lead man
| To avoid these germs In great measure. The
| danger OF their presence in the body can be
imagined when their rapid increase is consider
ed. 4 few germs NAV be readily absorbed into
the system by breathing air containing them.
| They are thus drawn into the interior of the
body through the long and narrow respiratory
passages of the throat, chest and nose, which
are lined with soft membrane and covered with
sticky mucus. In this fluid they find ready
Judgement and favorable conditions for develop
ment, increase and growth. The ''cold' or
catarrh, oZPna or chronic catarrh, hay fever,
etc, are common manifestations of the effects
OF one of the least harmful Of these
germs or nacrOzgDteS. In the dis
| charges from the respiratory passages at such
| times thousands OF the living anmacup are
found. The fever, debility, pains ''ln the
bones" loss OF appetite etc, are indications of
their depressing effects upon the vital organs.
Ii Is from germs of slower development,
however, that the greatest danger follows. To
the one most fully described by Koch Is due
more deaths than TO any other known cause.
| According TO the researches OF Cutter, Flint,
and Dejerne over eight million people die
every year from this cause alone. The annual
deaths In France, England, Germany, and
| Russia from their destruction was over one and
a. half millions In the United States and Canada
over three hundred thousand persons persisted
In the last year from the bacillus alone. The most
common disease resulting from II is consumption
| OF the lungs, but other organs OF the body are
liable TO be affected as they develop slowly but
surely in any organ that may be In weak or
unhealthy state.
If active and healthy, the liver, kidneys, and
| bowels have to wonderful extent the power
Of expelling these deadly animalcul'e or para
sites from the system. And this fact furnishes
| m m
treatment of all the long list of maladies
caused by these parasites as will be hereinafter
shown.
The studies Of Lancisca, an eminent Italian,
and Wood, Formal, and others, are interest
ing, as showing the large variety of chronic
diseases as heretofore classified, that result
from these germs. Among the most common
were silver complaint" biliousness or torpid
liver, dyspepsia or indigestion, lung affections,
bronchitis, kidney diseases, chronic diarrh9a,
spinal complaint, fever sores, white swellings,
hip-ioint disease, rheumatism, malarial dis
ease, such as fever and ague or intermittent
fever, general and nervous debilities, female
| weaknesses, chronic catarrh OF the head, or
ozena, many forms Of unhealthy discharges
from internal organs, and all the various
scrofulous affections of the skin, glands, bones,
joints, etc, including consumption which is but
scrofulous disease OF the lungs.
In this large catalogue of apparently widely
differing diseases, but really all depending
upon common cause, and therefore naturally
TO be successfully treated on the same general
principles, examinations of the blood and
| secretions revealed large numbers of these
parasites, and curiousy enough the number
, bore direct relation TO the severity Of the
disease, a comparatively small number being
present In mild cases, and very large proper
ton In bad cases. Under the use of the spe-
cifc treatment shich they give, and which Is
substantially the same as that described and
| nd lafa I'm