Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-04-06
WONDERFUL REVELATIONS OF THE
MICROSCOPE.
Discovery of the Most Deadly Enemy Of
Mankind-Ehs Bacillus and
Its Eavages


Its Ravages
The scientific world has been greatly
startled and agitated of lste by the discovery
with the microscope of the most dreadful
enemy of mankind in the form Of myrisds OF
little death dealing parasites. The air we
breathe and live in is charged with these
deadly little growthg in proportion IS it is IL
fected from various noxious sources. Having
by recent experiments and research been
shown TO be the most fruitful cause of disease
known, and the welfare and health OF every
individual depending so largely On the free
dom from their destructive ravsges, il is but
natural that toe reports of recent investiga-
tors II this field of scientific inquiry should be
widely read, ard that every phase of these
astounding discoveries should be subject TO
pniVorsal discussion. at first received with
some suspicion, they have at length been
thoroughly proven, and are low receiving the
unqualified Endorsements of ihs leading sci
entific men throughout the world, Bnb little
else is talked of in the schools and clubs Of
science, and the medical and scientific j9ur-
mails are crowded with thu testimony that "a
being added corroborative of the valas Of the
marvellous discovery which is pronounced the
greatest advance in medical science Of mod
ern times.
To L. Pasteur, the eminent French scientist,
who by his learned Investigations has saved
to France so many millions of dollars, is
probably due the honor of first pointing cut
the terrible power of these germs. In recog-
milton of his great se-vics the Government
has recently voted him from the public tress-
ury $40, 900, with which TO continue his
experiments He has described several vari.
cites of these parasites, some comparatively
harmless, Others extremely dangerous. One
ho r-eI bx-a ocrtc Cf CT
other cor elusive experiments was the cause
of death of many thousands of animals and
herds of cattle another ih9 active agent in
the death cf fowls By cholera. Acting upop
the knowledge he had gained Of the nature Of
these germs, he pointed out means Of relief
that speedily prevented spread of the dis
ease snd ended their devastation.
Tyndsll, with the sid of other eminent En-
gIish investigators, made a nunbtr of exam
nations of the floating particles in the stmos-
phere and found numbers Of living spores
capable of producing disease. Ia dry and
healthy localities but few germs were found,
and these of the harmless varietiss, while In
low damp places, crowded houses and uG-
healthy cities, the poisonous germs we're ex-
ceetlingly numerous everywhere.
Dr. Rudolph Koch, OF Wallsteip. Ger.
many, 8 man whose work in connection with
the organisms of cont igious diseases has
made him recognized authority upon the
subject, by experimenting after ths methods
Of Villemin, has discovered and published sn
accounted one of the most dangerous varie-
ties, 10 which it is proven more deaths are
due than to any disease incident TO the hu.
man rsce.
He describes it as a simple cellular orgln-
ism belonging to the same order SIS the bacte-
ria. When dried the germs may, TisLous
losing any vitality, endure great extremes of
temperature. Being as fine and IS 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
may lie for months or years undisturbed upon
tie furniture, floor, carpets, curtains, walls,
or in the bedding, and only requiring q
proper degree of warmth, moisture snd food
to waken into life, develop and grow. They
thrive and live in the blood, lymph, mucus
aud secretions of the human 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 sufti-
cient to contain hundreds. Examined with
microscopes OF great power, which enlarge
them so that they can be seen aud studied,
they have the appearance OF minute rod.like
bodies having, when active, some power of
=
and straighten witt a jerk that sends them a
few times their own length. At the temper
asure of the hunsn body they are the most
actiY-.
Their power Of increase or reproduction is
remarkably great. Ons germ in few weeks
time, uader favorable conditions, will give
rise to millions. The process ls by simple
growth and division Gold destroys or pre-
vents their growth, and this is why refriger-
alton prevents decay of meats and other ami
NAL food. Exposed to warmth, thsse small
organisms attack and eat up the albuminous
tissues, leaving foul mass. The odors 50
common to this process are given off by these
inioute organisms, and is about the only in5i-
cation of their presence. This is the warn
ing of nature. and it is an instinct to avoid all
such smells. The foul breath, bad odor of
old sores, etc., leads man to avoid these germs
in a great measure. The danger of their pres
ence in the body can be imsgined when
their rapid Increase is considered. A few
germs may be readily absorbed into the sys-
tenn by breathing air containing them. They
are thus drawn into the interior Of the body
through the long and narrow respiratory pas
sages of the throat, chest and nose, which are
lined with soft membrane and covered with
sticky mucus. In this fluid they find ready
lodgment and favorable conditions for de-
velopment, increase and growth. The ''cold
or cstsrrh, oZaena or chronic catsrrh, hay
fever, etc., are common manifestations of the
effects OF one of these germs or microzyDeeS.
In the discharges from the respiratory pas
sages at such times thousands of the living
animalcuIe are found The fever, debility,
pains "in the bones," loss of appetite, ETC.,
are indications Of their depressing effects
upon the vital organs.
1t 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 Cut
ter, Flint snd Dejerine, over s 000,000 pee
pie die every year from this cause alone.
The annual deaths il France, England, Ger
many and Russia from their destruction was
over one and half millions. In the United
States and Canada over 800. 900 persons per.
ished 10 the last year from bacillus alone. The
most common disease resulting from it is
consumption Of the lungs. but other organs Of
the body are liable to he affected as they de-
veiop slowly but surely in any organ that may
be in weak or unhealthy state.
If active and heslthy, the liver, kidneys
and bowels have to wonderful ex.Ent the
power of expelliag these desdly snimalcu'a
or parasites from the system. And this fact
furnishes an important indication for the sue
cessful treatment of all the long list of
maladies caused by these parasites, as will be
hereinafter shown.
The studies OF Lancisca, an eminent Ital-
lar, and Wood, Formed and others, ere in
teresting, as showing the large variety Of
chronic diseases as heretofore classified, that
result from these germs. Among the most
common were liver complaint" biliousaess
or torpid liver, dyspepsia or indigestion, lung
affections, bronchitis, kidney diseases, chronic
diarrhes, spinal complaint, fever sores, white
swellings, hip-joint disesse, rheumatism, ms
lariai diseases, such as fever and ague or in
termittent fever, general and nervous debil.
ities, female weaknesses, chronic catarrh OF
the head, or oz@ne, many forms Of unhealthy
discharges from internal organs, and all the
various scrofulous affections OF the skin,
glands, bones jlints, etc including consump-
tion, which is but scgofulous disease CT tue
lungs.
In this large catalogue of apparently wide.
ly differing diseases, but really sill depending
upon a common cause, and therefore nat
urally to be successfully treated on the same
general principles, examination of the blocd
and secretions revealed large numbers Of
these parasites, end curiously enough the
number bore direct relation to the severity
of the disease, g comparatively small num-
ber being present in mild cases and a verT
large proportion 10 bad cases. Under the uss
of the specific treatment which they give,
and which ia substantially the same as that
described and recommended later in this re-
view, the number was seen to steadily dimiu-
ish from day TO day until, with the restora-
ton of health and bodily strength, they
couId not be found at all,