The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-12-12
GERMS OF DISEASE.
Method. of Action An

Methods of ultiplicatiOn-ActiOn An
aIOgous to That of Yeast Danger.
IT, s. Billings, NJ. D., in Harper's Magazinel
Some disease germs multiply only
WiCnin the bodies of living animals, as,
for instance, those which give rise to
smallpox and scarlet fever. They re-
tain their vitality for a time when
thrown off in excretions. but they do
not increase In number until they gain
access to living tissues, and hence
the diseases which they cause
are propagated by contagion only.
Other disease germs multiply, so
far as we know, almost exclu-
siVely outside the living body, and pro-
duce their effects on man, not by grow
ing within him, but by poisoning him
with their products, as common yeast
may be said to be the cause OF dellrlum
tremens through the agency of the
alcohol which it produces. Malaria IS
a type of this class.
A third kind multiply both within
and without the living body, and some
of these appear to especially multiply
and flourish in human excreta. AS yet
we know very little of the life history OF
these disease germs, or as to how they
produce their effects; we are not
even certain as to whether
they are distinct separate spe-
cies or whether they may not be some
of the common micro organisms which
by overfeeding or otherwise have be-
come abnormal, microscopic monsters
as it were, producing evil instead OF
good. What we do know is that very
minute quantity of excreta from a case
of cholera or of typhoid fever may,
when introduced into the allmentary
canal of a healthy person, produce IN
that person a disease similar to the one
from which the germ originally came
and we also have good reasons to be-
Iieve that if q few such germs fall into
a mass of excreta, as in a cesspool, they
NAV under certain conditions multiply
very rapidly, and render the whole mass
of filth infectious. so that any porUlon
of it will be capable OF conveying the
disease.
Their action is closely analogous to
that of Yeast. and the diseases which are
supposed to be due to such action are
known as the Zymotic or ferment dis
eases. Hence comes one great danger
OF retaining or storing IN the vicinity OF
human habitaIiOnS quantities of organic
matter suitable for the nourishment OF
such organisms, for the channels
through which such collections may De-
come dangerously inOculated are so nu-
merous and, in the present state OF our
knOW16uS61 50 I'LL pOoSAOAO w o.
AGAINST. that casks of powder or cases
of dynamite would be really safer neigh.
bors. Sewage is not only source OF
danger in this way, but also through
the products of its decomposition.
The most important of these IN TINS
connection are the gases AMI ethuVla
evolved in putrefaction, such as hydro
gen sulphide, ammonium sulphide, car
bon dioxide, and certain organic Vapors
of very complex constitution, chiefly
characterized by unpleasant odors.
When concentrated, as in old cesspools
or vaults, these may produce sutfoca-
ton and almost immediate death, OF
great prostration, violent vomiting and
Durging commissions, and death, III
from one to two days. The circum
stances are rare which produce such ef
fects as these; usually the gases are
greatly diluted before being breathec
and the effects are less marked. Con
slant exposure to such air impair
health gradually, but distinctly, es
pecially in infants and children, tn
SYMPTOMS produced being loss of aPpe
lite, Iangor, slight headache, etc.