Daily Republican., 1885-08-11
WHIT BECOMES OF TEN DEAD

III we follow the process OF decay
which takes place in the grave, 1t will
DO found that living organisms take
part in the decay of tho burial body,
Just as they do when beef or mutton is
consumed by a man In absolutely
pure air, flesh does not decay, and is in
fact preserved for an indefinite time
But air Is very seldom absolutely pure,
| for iu 1t are an infinite number of float
| ing micro organisms, either az spores
or fully developed. On the tops of
| mountains these organisms, which are
| named bacilli, bacteria, or m.crococci,
are spa-selJ iou al. In tho air of the
country thsy are common, in that
of towns they abound, over sewers or
above churcbya.ds they positively
swarm.
What are they? Are they plants or
animE0 ? This ~ question that
scienc5 hss not yet decided. Chemists
are inclined to consider them animals
of very low type, becavse animals
arc chiefly engaged in performing
analytical functions, that is, bull ding
ur complex organic matter out OF sim
pie materials. tor example, molding or
, gaa isms out Of carbonic acids, water
aad ammonia. Now, the great func
ton of these micro-organisms which
, play such an important part In th'
\ \ isconomy of the world, is to convert po
4 tential energy into actual energy, or, t
put it more simply, to convert passlv
: laffinities into active afiinities.
In organized matter there Ia for
D. time the repoee of the chemical a.
fractions of those four elements-car
, bon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxyger
5 which constitute the great bulk of tn
body. The micro. organisms are Ell
gagged in the revolution of the dea
:. body into those active forms {
n 4 chemical energy -carbonic acid, wate
: an / ammonia. When these innumeI
aple little beings have free play the
y are the greatest beDefactors to tf
q, human race, for they are the mo-
r. 20 werful Of the scavengers, and the
purify air. water and soil so as to rer
= der them fit fer living.
D. But II you oppose their free action
4 restricting their access by shutting OF
the free circulation OF air necessary
: their life functions they become II
:. !. tsnsely malignant in their cbaracte
~ the true varG pires Of the dead, for the
Il fly about planting themselves in Il
TX blood of the living and producing OF
10 we'll known epidemic diseases-zymot
= or filth diseases. In the fluids
IS patients suffering from su,h diseas
these micro organisms swarm. Mia
:. kind has only recently recognized he
~ much we owe to the micro organism
th Wine and beer are produced by tn
I agency ty them vinegar il forme
. by them we get those vast beds of IA
A. petre or ni,re, W hich is one of the for
- into which they convert decaying NJ
. ter.
III Our ancestors used to live W
70. rushes on the floor. When the rust
became filtny new ones were put on
- top, and frequently accumulated
considerable thickness. Then
- dreaded "petremen" Of the king ca
D and insisted on digging up the cl
Z floor which had become saturated "
saltpetre formed by these busy mic
cocci, In order to save the inhabital
from pestiience produced By their fit
40 habits. These little organisms, whetl
they be plants or animals, are infin
benefactors to the human race or tel
BILE scourges. according as man
obedient or disobedent to the wise la
of the Creator.