Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-07

monty fatal be successfully utilized by inocula-
ton for combating those troubles? 1t would
be too much to assert that they can be, but
there Is great hope and even some expectation
OF its 50 turning out II il shall 80 eventuate
new era in the history Of civilized men will
have been begun
HOW THE LTMPH OPERATES.
The question is often asked: How does the
lymph operate-by what means does it accom-
plish its end2 The answer is very simple.
Consumption begins with the breathing into
the lungs of germ afoat in the air. Such
germs are constantly afoat everywhere. When
a consumptive coughs and spits in a street car
or elsewhere he is exercising such means as are
at his command for circulating the disease
The sputum thus coughed up dries and is con-
veyed in the shape of dust 10 the lungs Of the
well person. II the person has healthy lung
tissues the bacilli do not find Judgment; if. on
the other hand. he has a tendency to consump-
ton, hereditary or otherwise. they may secure
roosting place. Having accomplished this
much they rapidly propagate, feed on the tissue
OF the lungs, and break it down, thus forming
a lump of dead, cheesy matter, which is called
"tubercle." The blood circulating through
the lungs, carries the bacilli elsewhere through
their substance and they form other tubercles,
thus clogging up the air cells.
such Is consumption. But the lymph has
the effect Of causing the tubercles to slough of
from the healthy tissue Of the lungs, leaving
the organs in condition to work properly. In
this manner DIR. Koch's remedy acts.
DEFENSE AGAINST rUBERcULosIs.
Because the bacillus spoken Of acts by feed
ing upon the tissues SO as to form Jumps Of
dead matter called ''tubercles," the disease oc-
casioned by it is termed '.tuberculosis' It
may attack the lungs, in which shape it il
named consumption" or it NAV assail the
glands. the joints, or the skin. In any form 1t
is a foe to be dreaded. God send that defense
has been found against it
One fact Of most acute interest is that this
lymph OF DIR. koch's operates as effectively in
cases Of leprosy as in consumption. Why,
nobody knows. 1t suffices that it is So What
rays Of hope this discovery may shed upon
complaint hitherto deemed hopeless must be
determined in the future. Asia and the Poly
nesian Islands look toward US and Europe.
The world entertains little recognition at
present of what it owes to the bacteriologist.
The science Is new one, though the results it
has already achieved are so great. 1t has
brought human knowledge closer to nature
than its studious eve had ever reached before.
Its teachings have unraveled many OF the
mysteries hitherto deemed too profound for
human research. It has instructed mankind in
causes where phenomena only had been OBJ
served before. Through its agency the sources
OF fatal disease have been discovered and their
cure aimed at upon grounds Of certainty. To
Its researches are to be referred all methods Of
aseptlc and antiseptic treatment by which,
among other things. the numerous cases in
volving the cutting open of the abdomen of the
patient are successful nowadays in nine cases
out of ten, instead of occasioning death to nine
cases out of ten, as formerly. Through this
branch of study the most remarkable medical
discoveries of the future are destined to be
brought about. The medical art, in fact, may
be said to be about to take a tremendous leap
into the space of positive understanding.
WHAT THE BACILLI ARE.
In conclusion, it is worth saying what these
bacilli are. They are bacteria Of rod shape
to which the name bacillus has been given.
What are bacteria, then? Simply vegetable
organisms. All vegetables NAV be roughly
divided into three classes. First come the
plants as we know them. Next are the fungi,
many of them praying upon the plants, which
are more numerous than the plants in kinds.
Third are the bacteria which are the lowest in
the vegetable scale. They occasion all these
diseases which have been spoken of and many
more 1t Is they which cause all decomposition
OF matter, animal and vegetable. Throw a scrap
OF meat into the street in the summer time
They fall upon it. consume portions Of it, and
IN this way cause 1t to decompose. hberating,
thereby, gases which are offensive to the
nostrils. But in this way they assist
this useless matter to return to
its primary elements. in order that i. NAV
be recombined by nature for useful purposes.
Some bacteria are harmful. but most are bene-
nclal. and without them none of US could live.
1t Is their province to destroy whatever is use
less or nOxious. Bacteria are everywhere.
My-iads OF them are clustered in our mouths
and throats; they are breathed in at every
breath by thousands. The problem which the
bacterioloSist tries to solve is simply the ex-
clusIon OF those specimens which are disease
producing. His science, as has been said, is
but of recent birth. When it has attained de-
yelopment the awful enemy Death will find his
victims strongly fortified against his most GUS
toInary approaches.