The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-03-07
WONDERFUL REVELATIONS OF TIE
MICROSCOPE.
Discovery of the Most Deadly Enemy OF
MRnkind-The Bacillus and It's
Ravages.

The scientific world has been greatly
startled and sgitated of late by the discovery
with the microscope of the most dreadful
enemy of mankind in the form of myriads
of little death-iealipg parasites. The air we
breathe and live in is charged with these
deadly little growths in proportion as it is
infected 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 freedom from their destructive ravages,
it is but natural that the reports of re-
cent Investigators in this field of scientific
inquiry should be wisely read, and that
every phase of these astounding discoveries
should be subject to universal discussion.
At first received with some suspicion, they
have at length been thoroughly proven, and
are now receiving the unqualified indorse-
ment of tie leading scientific men through
out the world. But little else is talked of
in the schools and clubs of science, and the
medical and scientific journals are crowded
Win the lidb Is DelOS dOOeQ cor
roborative 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 millions of
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
from the public treasury $4,000 90 with
which to continue his experiments. He has
described several varities of these parasites,
some comparatively harmless, others ex-
tremely dangerous. One form he proved
by a series of vaccinations and other con-
elusive experiments was the cause of death
of many thousands of animals and herds of
cattle; another the active agent in the death
of fowls by cholera. Acting upon the
knowledge he had gained of the nature of
these germs, he pointed out means of re-
lief that speedily prevented spread of the
diseases and ended their devastation.
TYKDALL, with the aid of other eminent
English investigators, made a number of ex-
aminsiions of the floating particles in the
atmosphere, 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 unhealthy cities, the poisonous germs
were extremely numerous everywhere.
Or. RUDOLPH KOCH, of Wallstein, Germany,
& man whose work connection with the
organism Of contagious diseases has made
him recognized authority upon the subject
by experimenting after the methods Of
NILLEMIN, has discovered and published an
account of one of the most dangerous varie-
ties, TO which it is proven more deaths ere
due than TO any disease incident to the hu-
man race.
He describes it as simple cellular orga -
ism belonging to the same order as the bac
terra 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 eve 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 IN
disturbed upon the furniture floor, carpets
curtains, VALE, or in the bedding, sBd only
requiring proper degree of warmth, moist
and grow. They thrive and live in the
blood, lymph, mucus and secretions of the
human body. When the system is un.
healthy or weak they attack the cells that
make up the animal frame. Any albumin
GUS fluid will furnish them with food for
growth, and single drop is sufficient to
contain hundreds. Examine with micro
scopes of great power, which enlarge them
so thatthey can be seen and studied, they
have the appearance of minute rod-like
bodies having, when active, some power of
motion. They bend in the middle like q
bow and straighten with a 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 to millions. The process is by simple
vents their growth, and this is why refriger-
alton prevents decay of meats and other an
imal foods. Exposed to warmth these
small organisms attack and eat up the albu-
minOus tissues leaving a foul mass. The
odors SO common to this process are given
off by these minute organisms, and is about
the only indication of their presence. This
is the warning of nature and it is an instinct
to Svoid all such smells The foul breath,
bad odors of old sores, etc., leads man to
avoid these germs in a great measure. The
danger of their presence in the body can be
imagined when their rapid increase
is considered. A few germs may 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
luIOdt, CDesb uuu uOSSs WHICH llDoQ Win
soft membrane and covered with sticky mu-
Gus. In this fluid they find ready Judgment
and favorable conditions for development,
increase and growth. The cold" or catarrh,
ozGena or chronic catarrh, hay fever, etc are
common manifestations of the effects of one
of the least harmful of these germs or micro
zymes. In the discharges from the respIr-
story passages at such times thousands of the
living animalcule are found. The fever, de-
bility, pains lin the bones" loss of appetite,
ETC., are indications of their depressing eff
fects upon the vital organs.
IL 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 Cur
TER, FLINT and DEJERINE, over s, 600 600 peo-
pie die query year from this cause alone.
The annaul deaths in France. England, Ger
many and Russia from their destruction was
over one and half millions. In the United
States and Canada over three hundred thou
sand persons persisted in the last year from
the bacillus alone. The most common dis
ease resulting from it 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 q
weak or unhealthy state.
II active and healthy, the liver, kidneys
and bowels have to a wonderful extent the
power of expelling these deadly animalcnlae
or parasites from the system. And this fact
furnishes an important indication for the
successful treatment of all the long list Of
maladies caused by these psrasites as will be
hereafter shown.