The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1888-08-23

A rassssstlns Paper On shs Gers rAess

| = O4 D0mv0N V0rIB8s
From the beginning the etiology Of
dental cnrics has been a vexed qties.
zion. and has attracted much attention
and study, but till late yenrs with few
valuable results. To Dr.. w. d. Miller,
Of Berlin, Germany, an American, be-
longs the credit OF solving the problem
and Of giving to the profession a theory
Of dental carries, 40 we'll founded on
cnrefully-dcvised experiments and
study that It is hardly questioned at
the present day. In brief, Il is that It
is the work Of bacteria and their fer
ment powers.
To I'LL 1crstand the germ theory a
few general remarks on bacteria
(fungi) seems necessary, and we COM
mence with them. Bacteria are the
smallest Of known organized bcings.
and throughout the borderland divid-
Ing animals from plantst they are now
generally recognized as vegetables.
They vary in size from 100000 TO
1-125 Of an inch. Tho smallest can
not be measured. They are unicel-
lular plants--that is to soy. plants
composed Of one cell. They multiply
In both wnys-by division and by the
formation Of gcrms. In the former
case tho cell first eiougates. Then,
when It has doubled its length. Il sep
arates into two parts, each being in
all respects like the parent cell. and
this method Of growth goes on con-
tinually. In the formation Of spores,
Che. contents Of cell, instead Of divid-
ing. contracts on itself. forming q
spor or seed. Generally but ono spor
IL thus formed. but ut times from four
to six may be thus developed. The
spors arc analogous to seeds in the
higher plants. Their most pronounced
characteristic being their great vital
ity, they resist greater extremes OF
temperature and stronger acids and
alkalis than the bacteria themselves,
and In all why's are moro difficult to
destroy. AS animals have waste prod
ucts so have plants and they are no
moro popularity of the ono than OF
the other. Among tho waste products
Of plant life may no named the woody
fiber, tho leaves that drop in tho fall.
the alkaloids, like strychnia, gummy
exudations, resins. etc. Il is mooted
question II tho wastc products OF
pathogenic bacteria are not the prime
causes OF the diseases they create.
Koch, tho distinguished pathologist
and bacteriOlogist OF Berlin, lays down
four postulates To be observed in do
termining whether n given micro
organism is tho cause of given dis
case:
/. The fungi must be found in the
blood, lymph. or in the dead body OF
the animal affected.
2. The fungi SO found must be iso-
lated and cultivated outside the animal
body md through successive genera.
tions.
5. A pure cultivation thus obtained
must, when introduced into the body
Of healthy animal. produce tho dis
ease in question.
4. In the inoculatcd animal, the
same micro-organism must again be
found.
Those laws were intended by Koch
TO apply to pathogenic bacteria, which
are parasitic In their nature--that is
live on, or in. living animals; but they
are just as valuable In referring tc
saprogenic bacteria--those that 1.-Two or
dead animal or plant material-to
which latter class the bacteria OF dental
carries decay belong. DR.. Miller asks
no favOrs, and wants the same rigid
laws to apply to his theory.
Before taking up his study, DR.. Mil
ler was we'll aware OF the fermenting
powers Of the pytaline OF the saliva.
an unorganized ferment. and also that
the mouth was rare garden for the
growth and propagation Of bacteria;
but as a temperature OF 67, deg. Cent.
destroys pytaline and did not bacteria,
and as o weak solution OF carbolic
acid or q stronger one Of ether de-
str0ys bacteria, he soon found that the
acid producing ferment In the mouth
was capable Of reproducing ITSELF
was an organized ferment-a species
II bacteria. It was also known that the
tubules In carious teeth were filed with
micro-organisms. DIR. Miller obtained
pure cultures Of the bacteria from the
mouth and from the deeper portions oi
decayed teeth, and In tubes containing
these cultures, mixed with ferment.
able material (sugar) placed several
pieces Of sound teeth. These, after
from two to three ,or four weeks, were
found to be softened, and q microscopic
examination showed the same physical
characteristics as natural caries-ths
distended tubules filed with micro
organisms. Artificial carries had thui
been produced, and Koch's demands
were satisfied.
| Caries (docay Of teeth) means that
the teeth are destroyed by an acid pro
duced in tho mouth by tho torment
powers OF bacteria, sugar and starch
being indirect, but powerful factors In
the work OF destruction. To dentist
and patient the theory emphasizes
the necessity Of cleanliness. The
brush, the pick and the floss silk mus,
be constantly used, especially on retir
ing at night Antiseptics are valuable
auxiliaries, but that is all. George s..
allan, in Boston Herald.
CounterfeIt Dollar Bills.
A new counterfeit one-dollar silver
certificate has boen put In circulation