Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-06-10
LIFE WITHIN LIFE.
Hostile Armies OF Microscopic Organ.
isms Within Mems Bodies M. Pas.
teur's and Rival Theories.
what Vaccination Can Teach Us-Is nIedi
cine an Exact sciencs?-How Disease
is TO be Conquered.
Cincinnati Enquirer.


great part, at least due to the presence Ia
the cody Of what are known as microbes,
These microbes are minute microsco pic
animal organism which get into the body
either from the atmosphere or by other
means and produce the diseased state.
The point upon which medical men differ
is the exact manner in which they act on
the cells OF the human body.
Mr.. Pasteur, with whom is associated
Mr.. Tyndal, the celebrated English natu-
ralist, is convinced that their injurious
effect is due to their destruction OF Ger
tain portion Of cell matter which they call
the pabulum. Now the theory npon
which they, therefore, propose to give i'm.
munity from disease Is TO introduce into
/ the body another but similar microbe,
which will destroy Just the same pabu.
lum, but without the injurious effects on
the system which are produced by the
dsease-germ.
The principal fact upon which this the
orv proceeds il that in the infusion princi-
pie of hay and cheese, which are known
as culture fluids, it has been observed
that after certain time, aud when the
anlmalcule have increased to certain
number, they cease TO increase and begin
gradually to die out for want of nourish-
ment; hence it Is concluded that by intro
duced into the human body germ, as In
the case of vaccination, which is com.
paratiyely harmless, the pabulum may be
exhausted and the system rendered i'm.
peryious to the attack Of the disease
| germ.
THEORIES or KLEBs AND KLINE.
| On the other hand, the German physi-
clans, Klebs and Kline, proceeding upon
the same facts, affirm that immunity from
disease is obtained by meant of the ex-
crement left by the animalculg la the
human frame. They proceed ON the we'll
known fact that no species or similar spe-
| cies can live in its own excrement, and
affirm that the immunity from disease en-
I ioyed by those who have once suffered
| from particular trouble, or who have
been inOculated with the germs of SINH
lar nature TO that which produces the
trouble, is due to this excrement.
Both these schools draw largely from
the facts observed la the case Of smallpox,
and the immunity from its effects, which
is obtained by the Introduction into the
system of the vaccine virus, microbe of
very similar nature to that of the small
| poX germ itself
| The next school, likewise depending to
u considerable extent on the same obser-
vatiOns, is that which is known as the
| vital theory. According to this account
the microbes produce disease by depriv-
ing the cells of the human body of the
| oxygen which 10 necessary to the healthy
performance of their functions, and it Is
maintained by those who uphold this the
DRY that by supplying the body aItiicially
with an excess OF oxygen there can be
enough supplied for both.
| 10 all these three theories, however. It
is objected that they ought to be able to
be recognized by the microscopic ANALYSIS
which make up SO large a part of the
/ physiology OF the pIcsUnu day. 1t l.
affirmed by their opponents that whether
it be the destruction Of the pabulum, the
| leaving of the excrement or the depriva.
ton OF oxygen, any of these ought To be
visible effects under the microscope.
This criticism, while damaging, is not,
however, believed to be conclusive, since
the microscopic analysis l scarcely in a
sufficiently advanced state to give so pre-.
else Il result at present but doubtless
every day 1t is becoming more so.
THE SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEsT,
Lastly there is an ingenious theory,
which is maintained by some rising physi-
clans, that the whole phenomenon of
germ-disease and its immunity is due to
the Darwinian law OF "the survival of the
httest' in the struggle for existence.
According to these, the cells of the human
oody are themselves separate animal or
gahlsms, with an existence and life of
lhelr own. Ihese germs (cells\ enter into
regular COMBAT with the disease germs,
ana when they come off victorious the
OoGy retains It's strength; while when
ana where they are defeated the BODY sue.
cumts to disease.
NOW 1t Is well known that in all things
the prestige, il may so call II. Of vic.
tory leads to new victories, in other
words, the troops which have overcome
the enemy to-day are better fit TO cone
wl'h him tomorrow than the new recruits.
Applying this to the present instance. the
upholders OF this theory remark that nv
supplying comparatively weak adyer-
sary, such as the vaccine virus. the cell
germ gains an easy victory, which so
strengthens It's powers that is Is able to
combat successfully with new adversaries
III Sne shape OF disease germs afterwq,d,
ms tneory accounts for all that T. nc.
counted for by any of the others, and $50
lor the Tact which has been copstanttv Oh
served, namely, that immunity from dis
ease is III direct proportion to the severity
Oh me struggle, so that those who have
once nau severe attack of any complaint
are Tree from its approach for n LONGER
period than those who have been affected
with some milder adversary, for it is evil
dent that the more severe the attack
against which the cell germs have been
aole TO contend the greater the strength
ana powers which they will have de-
yeloped.-[ Paris Cor Cincinnati Enouirer
Suing The Knight.