The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1891-07-04

pluc siOpc. 4 nc SUI was Worn, Oub
here and there, on the noun.
tain side, there were patches Of
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 tho
warm rock they Immediately became
lively again; but when they were re.
| placed upon the snow the death-lilse
nuInbness 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 tho 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 hairy elephant was
found encased 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
wild beasts of that region.
Warmth wakens 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, millkman. fish
monger and housekcepcr 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 50 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,
erysipelas, yellow fever and cholera,
and recent discoveries have added to
the list consumption, that dread scourge
which kills one-seventh of the entire
human race.
Each disease is produced by one sort
of microbe, with its own distinctive
habits and personal appearance. Thus,
the mischief-malser which causes chol-
era begins it's evil career as 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 fignrc 8, or it presents wavy out
line, like that of distant bird upon
the wing. 1t lives in the intestines,
and grows and multiplies there with
wondrous rapidity. In SO doing it pro-
duccs 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 smallhess, because OF the
tremendous forces which they can
bring into the field The sober state
ment of their powers of increase sounds
like bit "a extravaganza from the
Arabian Nights. 1t is estimated
that, given ample room. congenial
temperature, and abundant food, q
single microbe will multiply so fast
that there will be fifteen millions of
them at the end of Itwenty-four hours.
Science begins to- distinguish one sort
OF mierobe from another as clearly as
unscientific people distinguish rose
from buttcrcup Each known va
riety bears 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
fanily-the microScopist Classics into
q few groups the many microbes he
takes cognizance of.
Some appear under the lenses as mo-
tionless specks, and these are called
''monads, s'monera," or ''micrococca.
Some are long, narrow and still, and
lie in the field of the microscope like
scattered sticks. These are called
bacteria" or ''bacilli," sslittle rods"
Some are like short rods with rounded
ends Some look and act like cells; and
some resemble corl1screws, and arc 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 microbe there he's been
little short of revolution in the prac-
tice of medicine and surgery. There
have been most important changes in
the management, and even in the struc-
turc of hospitals.
The study of microbe, or bacteria,
as they are often called, is now dis
tinct science known rs "bacteriology."
1t is yet in its infancy; but already this
promising infant has prevented the i'm
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