The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1885-10-01
What Fec mes of the Dead.

Ii We follow the process of decay
which takes place in the grave it will
be found that living organisms take
part in the decay of the buried body,
Just as they do when beef or mutton is
consumed by man. In absolutely
pure air flesh docs not decay, and is in
fact preserved for an indefinite time.
Blu, air is very seldom absolutely pure.
for in it are an infinite number OF float
ing heterogeneous, either as spores
or fully developed. On the tops of
mountains these organisms. which are
named bacilli, bacteria, or microcci,
are sparscly found. In the air of the
country they are common, in that of
towns they abound, over sewers or
above churchyards they positively
swarm. What arc theyp Are they
plants or animals? This is question
Chemists are inclined to consider them
animals of very low type, because
animals are chiefly engaged in perform
ing analytical functions, that is, pull
ing organic matter to pieces, while
plants perform synthetical functions,
that is, building up complex organic
matter out of simple matcrialS-for ex-
ample molding organisms out of car
bonic acid, water, and ammonia. Now,
the great function Of these micro-Or-
ganisms which play such an important
part in the economy of the world is to
convert potential energy into actual
energy, or, to put it more simply, to
convert passive alliniiies into active
atlinities. In organized matter there
Is for time the repose of the chemical
attractions of those four elements
carbon, hydrogen. nitrogen, and oxy-
gen, which constitute the great bulk of
the body, The heterogeneous are
engaged in the resolution of the dead
body into those active forms of chemic-
al energy-carbonic acid, water, and
ammonia. When these innumerable
little bSings have free play they are
the greatest benefactors to the human
race, for they are the most powerful of
all scavengers, and they purify air,
water, and soil so as to render them tit
for the living But if you oppose their
free action by restricting their access,
by shutting out the free circulation of
air necessary to their life functions,
they become intensely malignant in
their character, the true vampires of
the dead, for they fly about planting
themselves in the blood of the living
and producing our wcll-known epidem-
ic diseases-zymotic or filth" diseases.
In the fluids of patients suffering from
such diseases these micro-organisms
swarm. Mankind has only recently
recognized how much we owe to the
heterogeneous. Wine and beer are
produced by their agency; by them
vinegar is formed; by them we get
those vast beds of saltpetcr or nitro,
which is one Of the forms into which
they convert decaying matter. Our
ancestors used to live with rushes on
the floors. When the rushes became
filthy new ones were put on the top,
and frequently accumulated to consid-
cradle thickness. Then the dreaded
''petremen" of the king came and in
sisted on digging up the clay floor,
which had become saturated with salt
peter formed by these busy micrococci,
in order to save the inhabitants from
pestilence produced by their filthy
habits. These little organisms wheth-
er they be plants Or animals, are intin-
lite benefactors to the human race or
terrible scourges, according as man is
obedient to the wise laws of the Gre
ator.- Sir Lyon PaUuir, IN Good
Words.