The Osceola times., 1883-04-07
WONDERFUL REVELATIONS or THE
MICROSCOPE.
Discovery of the most Deadly Enemy of
Mankind. The Bacillus and Its
Ravages.

| Mankind. The Bacillus and Its
Bavages.
| The scientific world has been greatly
startled and agitats d of late by the dis.
dreadful enemy of mankind in the form
of myriads OF little death-dcaling para.
sites. The air We breathe and live in il
charged with these deadly little growths
in proportion as it is infected from vari.
GUS 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 recent Investigators in this field Of sci
entific inquiry should be widely 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 thor
oughly 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 corrubora-
tive of the value of the marvellous dis
covery which is pronounced the greatest
advance in science of modern times.
To l.. Pasteur, the eminent French sci
enlist, who by his learned investigations
has saved TO France so many millions
dollars is probably due the honor of first
/ M ha l.. .xf
germs. In recognition of his great service
the government has recently voted him
$4,000 90 with which to continue his cx-
periments. He has described several va
rieties of these parasites, some extremely
dangerous. One form he proved by a
series of vaccinations and other conclu-
sive 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 ma
ture of these germs he pointed out a
means of relief that speedily prevented
a spread of the diseases and ended their
devastation.
Tyndall with the aid of other eminent
English investigators made a number of
examinations of the floating particles in
the atmosphere, and found numbers of
living spores capable of producing dis
ease. 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 exceed
ingly numerous every where.
DIR. Rudolph Koch, Of Wallstein, Ger
many, man whose work In connection
with the Organisms of contagious diseases
has made him q recognized authority on
the subject, by experimenting after
methods of Villemiu, has discovered and
published an account of one of the most
dangerous varieties, to which it is proven
more deaths are due than to any disease
incident to the human race.
He describes it as simple cellular or
ganism belonging to the same order as
the bag,ria. 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 dis
tancc by the wind, or carried upon the
clothing or body. Like seeds, they may
lie for months or years undisturbed upon
the furniture, floor, carpets, curtains.
walls, or in the bedding, and only requir-
ing proper degree of warmth, moisture
and food, TO waken into life, develop and
grow. They thrive and live in the blood
lymph, lnucus and secretions OF the hu-
man body. When the system is unheal-
thy or weak they attack the cells that
make up the animal frame. Any alhu-
minous fluid will furnish them with food
for growth, and a single drop is sufficient
to contain hundreds. Examined with
microscopes of great power, which en-
large them so that they can be seen and
studied, they have disappearance of mi
mute rod-like bodies having, when active
some power of motion. They bend in the
middle like 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 growth and division. Cold
destroys or prevents their growth, and
this is why refrigeration prevents decay
of meats and other animal foods. Expos
ed to warmth these small organisms at
tack and cat up the albuminous tissues,
leaving foul mass. The odors so COM
mon 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 it is an instinct to
avoid all such smells. The foul breath,
bad odors of old sores, etc, leads man to
avoid these germs in great measure.
The danger Of their presence in the body
can be imagined when their rapid in
crease Is considered. 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 respir-
atory passages of the throat, chest and
nose, which are lined with soft MEM
brane 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, ozena or chronic catarrh, hay
fever etc, are common manifestations
of the effects of one of the least harmful
of these germs or microsynes. In the dis
charges from the respiratory passages at
such times thousands of the living ami
malcule are found. The fever, debility,
pain in the bones" loss OF appetite, etc,
are indications of their depressing effects
upon the vital organs.
1t is from germs ofslower 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 research
es of CATER, Flint, and Deierine over
eight million people die every year from
this cause alone. The annual deaths in
France. England. Germany. and Russia