The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-08-15
RESISTANCE TO DISEASE
A Consideration of the Question Is Ap'
piled to Man and Beast.

piled to Man and Beast.
When lad was Systematically ex-
posed to the measles, and my .'obsti-
Macy was so great that the disease
did not 'take hold of me. 1t was not
until was twenty years old, and in the
midst Of much work, that my system
was in the proper condition. Then the
measles came, and came hard, and
many time did wish that they had
had their run in my childhood. This Is
but the common experience of the
race. Some persons will not contract
the most universal of contagious dis
eases, while others will prove the oppo-
site exception by having twice ''catch-
ours but once.
The question of the resistance to dis
eases, and especially to the contagious
ones, is quite obscure. The advanced
students of the various diseases that are
quickly propagated in a community.
and spread from individual to individu-
al, and family to family, are almost
unit in their belief in the so-called germ
theory. They believe that the various
catching" diseases of children, many
of the fevers, cholera, smallpox, diph-
iberia, etc., are all caused by micro
scopic living germs that enter the sys-
tenn and there propagate at very
rapid rate. 1t may be possible for a
kind of bacterium to SO develop in its
strength as to be able to prey upon liv-
ing tissue. In other words, it is not be-
yond reason to suppose that kind OF
germ may, under most favorable cir
cumstances, pass from putrefactive
one, infesting only dead matter. to ono
that is truly pathogenic. With this
view. it is easy to account for the orig
nation and development Of some of the
scourges OF hospitals. The hospital
gangrene seems to originate in the
ward, and is not introduced. The bac-
terra of putrefaction have the most ia
vorable conditions to develop in the
wounds, and become in time able to
prey upon living tissue.
The question that interests us now is
that of resistance. Several theories
have been advanced. Some investiga-
tors have considered that each suscept-
ible animal has substance within
itself upon which the particular germ
| feeds. Thus there is the pabulum for
the measles, the smallpox, scarlet
fever. and so on through the list. When
these germs enter the system and prop
agate, then they feed upon this mate
rial, and in time may exhaust it. They
account for the fact that persons rarely
have these diseases more than once, on
the ground that the nourishment pro-
vided for the germs has become ex-
| hausted In cases where there is re.
turn Of the disease, the germ nutriment
had either not been used up during the
first attack, or new supplies had formed
since.
1t seems as if this theory calls for
au unnatural state of things. The stor-
ing up of a food supply for these vari-
GUS kinds OF disease germs seems con-
trary to the general tendency of the
vital functions. We have been taught
that any effete matter not
needed for the activity of the animal
is cast off. Again, having formed this
substance once, it is strange that il
i should not be formed again within the
system, and actually invite second at
tack from the same dangerous quarter
1t is claimed by some that during the
course of germ disease poison is de
veloped in the system of the patient
that remains and prevents any further
attack. The advocates of this theory
base their belief largely upon the fac
that the allied micro organisms grow
ing in dead organic matter are as
ISOLATED with. if not the cause of GER
tain chemical changes, that result in
the production of compounds prejudi
cal to the farther growth of the germs
In short, the bacteria commit a sort Of
suicide.
The theory of resistance that seem
to be gaining ground at present is TIL
vital one. l call it vital in distinction
from the one that has been brief
stated, which may be called the chem
ical theory. The vital theory assume
that the resistance resides within tn
,. vital cellular elements of the ANNA
body. The supporters of this theor
find that the germs will thrive an,
multiply in the dead tissue of an ANNA
in which it could not be propagate
while living. For example, they sa
, the Bacell1s ANTHRAX causing the fata
splenic fever or anthrax in cattle, doe
not thrive in the living tissues of tn
hog, while it may be propagatod in
: couture" of juice from pork. Again
fresh blood from an animal will becom
infested with germs, but these germ
when introduced by injection into tn
same animal from which the blood wa
drawn, will disappear. The only differ
ence. as far as they can see, is dea
I blood in one case, and living blood i
the other.
I. In view of this theory, how are we
G account for immunity by first attack
0 The vital elements having been expose
to the inroads of the disease germs
begin at once to fortify themselve
/. against the invading organisms, and a
!, new cells form, they inherit this ter
4 dency. We have here involved tn
: whole subject of acquired tendencie
!. and heredity. The subject is vast ont
9 and it is only possible to touch upon
e few points and keep within the space {
d newspaper article. The danger Ell
countered by those who 60 into foreig
:. countries, especially those in the tropics
are many. Even in our own countr,
II to 90 from Maine to Louisiana i; mit
Is summer is a great risk of the life of til
|, northern-born and reared person. TIL
n natives of the feverish and malari,
/, tropics become accustomed to the cl
II mate, and are able TO withstand the il
roads of disease germs that woul
d quickly carry off newcomer with or
n of the dreadful contagious diseases +.
a the country 1t is reasonable
e suppose that the system become
n accustomed to or fortified again
h the unfavorable surroundings. "
q know this is true with regard to near
h everything else when not present b.
o yond the point of endurance. Ever
e organ developes strength by activity
e except when the activity is too great fl
|. the organ to bear. More than this, "
+ know that the law of like begets like
e is all-embracing, and when on,
n strength is impaired to any organ. or
the whole body. there is strong tel
n dency to reproduce the same qualiti
l. in the offspring. Let me cite anoth,
he instance: A party Of Esquimaux visite
h Europe not long ago. and all died
et smallpox of the most virulent forr
o The dreaded disease is foreign to the
a. country, and they had not inhertt
d any power of resistance. Illustration
" of this kind could be multiplied
d thousands in short, the fact is well e
IN tablished that the various forms of Ii
10 adapt themselves to circumstances, al
perpetuates that adaptation throus