Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1891-07-11
THE DEADLY BACTERIA.

NN%sN ~ tue hutna H Syatem.
II has been learned within the mas,
few years that several of the most
serious diseases known TO man arr
caused by particular species OF bacteria
says i. Mitchell Prudden in Harper's
Some diseases are called Infectious
Among those forms which thus origin.
ate are tuberculosis. Asiatie cholera.
erysipelas, and some forms OF blood.
poisoning, tetanus or lockjaw. and
some forms Of pneumonia, typhoid
fever and diphtheria. We know the
germs which are concerned in tba
eansaiiOn of these diseases, and can
grow them in tubes IN the laboratory.
and work out their life history.
Maiaria, Il has been pretty well
established, is due TO minute organ
ism which belongs not among the
plants. but low down In the animal
series, In the class known as protozoa.
and i may be that some or all Of the
last group aforementioned NAV be
caused by similar organisms. which, as
set We can not cultivate in the labor
atory or even bring within our vision
with the microscope.
Consumption. or tuberculosis, e
largely spread by the specific bacteria
in the sputum thrown on by affected
persons, which is allowed TO dry and
become disseminated In the floating
dust Typhoid fever Is communicated
By the germs discharged from the
bodies OF those III Of this disease
which. In one way or another. but
largely IN polluted water and food. get
into the digestive tract % well persons.
Diphtheria may be communicated In
Ike manner by the germs in the mem
branes or fluids from the mouth Of the
stricken ones, and may linger long
wholly dry. In garments aud household
furniture and rooms.
The bacierium causing tetanus. or
l0ekiaw, Il not often conveyed from
one person to another. bat Is e1cep-
tinnal In having ils usual lurking place
IN the soil OF certain regions.
Now how do these particular species
81 germs cause these special forms oi
dissase2 We have already seen that
one Of the marked life features % bac-
isrsa u thai when they assimilaie nonr.
ishmcn, and grow they set free various
forms ~ chemical substances. When
puirriacilon occurs In bit Of meat, for
example, certain bad.smelling gases,
~ well az host ~ other substances,
81 frye b. the bacteria which nre feed
Ink on The meat This causes lis pntre-
faction. Zach species acts IL Its own
peculiar fashion In the requirement o.
~ food and sets free lie own peculiar
chemical substances
Now. the same thing happens when
bacteria. In one way or another. get
into ,hc bodies % men or animals and
grow there. But In the large proper
ton Of casos the bacteria which we
take Into our bodies in vast numbers
with the greatest varieties Of uncooked
foods and with water and milk. pro-
dues. II they grow al All. chemical
substances which do no manner os
harm II Il indeed not nj all improb-
able that some bacteria which are con-
sianily present In the digestive canal
form. under ordinary circumstances.
materials which aid IN the process OF
digestion.
IL has however come about In the
lapse OF ages that very few. an in
fuiiely small proportion. Of all the
bacteria which are about iis produce
chemical substances In the body. which.
in ono way or another, act ms violent
poisons. These substances. produced
by bacteria, arc called piomaines. and
here. at last, our plummet seems TO be
striking bottom. II Il the plomaines
or peculiar vegetable poisons pro-
duccd By these germs, which usually
do the damage. Sometimes these
piomaines arc produced in some
special part Of the body where the
bacteria grow. and gaining access TO
body fluids. are carried all over the
organism. inducing In the most vulncr-
able parts those changes which are
characteristic Of the disease and which
give rise 20 what we call It's symptoms.
This seems 60 be the case in diphtherla
and typhoid fever. IN which the bac-
terra arc confined. In the former usual
" to the mouth. and throat and air
passages. and In tho latter TO the I'M
,cstinal canal But the soluble
ptomaines are carried everywhere
working havoc.