The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-05-01

snow. The ants were running about
in the warm grass, and on the warm
rocks close by. Tyndall put some OF
them on the snow, and in few seconds,
after some languid struggles, they be-
came paralyzed, and lay as if dead.
When they were moved back to the
warm rock they Immediately became
lively again; but when they were re-
placed upon the snow the death-like
numbness seized upon them once moro.
The same is true of microbes; and
this is the whole philosophy of the
preservation of meat by cold, and the
reason for the existence of the iceman
and the icebox. When the fishmonger
surrounds his wares with ice he be-
numbs the microbes which cause de-
cay, so that they cannot grow and null
tiply. So long as they are held in
check, the fish will remain sweet and
sound.
The body of a hairy elephant was
found enca5ed in Siberian ice. 1t had
been there for ages, yet when the flesh
was, at last, laid bare, it was perfectly
fresh. and made a welcome feast for the
VIII DclSIS Vi IlldG region.
Warmth wallens microbes into aston
ishing activity; and this is why one hot
day is so disastrous to butchers and
dairy men. Great heat, however, de-
stroys them; and so we can preserve
meat by partially cooking it, and boil
milk to prevent it from turning sour.
Thus the butcher, milkman, fish
monger and housekeeper are all affected
by the tiny microbe; but the person
who has the deepest interest in its
nature and conduct is the doctor. 1t
has been established by microscopic
study that these minute organisms
bring about many of the ills our flesh
is heir to, and SO great an authority as
Pasteur thinks that all infectious and
contagious diseases are caused by them.
Maladics inflicted by microbes are
called, by the medical fraternity, germ
diseases" OF this nature are lcprosy,
hydrophobia, pneumonia, diphtheria,
crysipclas, yellow fever and cholera,
and recent discoveries have added to
the list consumption, that dread scourge
which kills onc-seventh of the entire
human race.
Each disease is produced by one sort
of microbc, with its own distinctive
habits and personal appearance. Thus,
the mischicf-maher which causes chol-
era begins its evil career as a globe
with tail, looking like tAdpole or
comma AS it grows older it assumes
the form of the letter c, the figure 8, or
the figure s, or it presents wavy out
line, like that of distant bilAl upon
the wing. 1t lives in the intestines,
and grows and multiplies there with
wondrous rapidity, In SO doing it pro-
duccs a chemical poison.
Like ourselves, animals fall prey to
invisible foes, which cause chicken
cholera in the poultry yard and CHAMBERS
in the stable. Caterpillars and insects
suffer from distresses caused by the at
tacks of like tiny enemies, and even
plants are not exempt for a microbe
causes the yellow disease" of hya-
cinths and the despair of the window
gardener.
Our invisible enemies are terrible in
spite of their srnallness, because of the
tremendous forces which they can
bring into the field. The sober state
mcnt of their powers of increase sounds
like 4 bit of extravaganza from the
arabian Nights" 1t is estimated
that, given ample room, congenial
temperature, apd abundant food, a
single microbe will multiply SO fast
that there will be fifteen millions of
them at the end of twentyfour hours.
Science begins to distinguish one sort
of microbe from another as clearly as
unscientific people distinguish rose
from a buttcrcup. Each known va
riety bears a name many times as big
as itself. And just as the botanist
recognizes the tuberose, the hyacinth
and the humble asparagus, as related
members of one great order-the lily
family-the microscopic classities into
a few groups the many microbes he
takes cogaizancc of.
Some appear under the lenses as mo-
tionless specks, and these are called
''monads, " ''moncra," or ''micrococca-"
Some are long, narrow and still, and
lie in the field of the microscope like
scattered sticks. These are called
bacteria" on ''bacilli," ''little rods"
Some are like short rods with rounded
ends Some look and act like cells; and
some resemble corkscrews, and are for
ever in motion, alternately relaxing
and tightening their coils. Some
mass together, and some join end to
end, forming living chains.
Since the scientist has introduced
himself to the nicrobc there has been
little short of revolution in the prac-
tice of medicine and surgery. There
have been M st important changes in
the management, and even in the struc-
turc of hospitals.
The study of microbc, or bacteria,
as they are often called, IS now a dis
tinct science known as "'bacteriology. :"
1t is yet in its infancy; but already this
promising infant has prevented the i'm
pending loss of valuable property,
spared humanity an immense amount
of pain and sorrow, saved many lives,
and led to other beneficial and prac-
teal results which could NOT be even
briefly mentioned in the limits of one
short article.-E. NJ. Hardinge, in
Demorest's Monthly.