Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1891-05-09
WHAT CAUSES DISEASES.
MANY INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT
THEIR MINUTE GERMS.

professional; hence a BRIEF descrlp- /
ton Of them is likely TO be Of interest. /
Bacteria are minute organisms; in fact, |
they are the smallest Of living forms. As /
one writer has said, they form the bound |
airy line Of life; beyond them life does |
not exist, so far, at least, as our present
microscopic expedicnts reach, and these
are not small. The strongest Of our mag
nifying lenses, the immersion system OF
Hartman, give magnifying power of
from three thousand TO four thousand
diameters, and could we view man un-
der such a lens, he would appear as large
rs Mount Blanc or even Chimborazo
But even under this colossal amplifica-
tion the smallest bacteria do not appear
larger than the points and commas of
good print. These smallest bacteria may
be compared with man about as grain
Of sand TO Mount Blanc.
Bacteria assume many forms-there
are about two hundred varieties now
known. Some under the microscope APP
pear as balls or eggs, others as rods of
various length or as mere fibers, while
yet others are of spiral form. like cork
screws. The bodies consist OF an almost
colorless substance, in which numerous
shining granules are imbedded. Under
conditions unfavorable to them, bacteria
are motionless, and certain kinds never
appear to move, but where the condi-
tions are favorable to them those which
have motion are excessively lively.
PRESENT EVERYWHERE.
These little living forms are present
everywhere the air reaches, but they
swarm only whore the temperature is
| favorable and there is plenty of nourish-
ment. When there is decomposit on,
fermentation or putrefaction they d. ell
| op in masses. The action of bacteria is
seen in the following simple experiment.:
| Put piece of meat or "a piece Of any
/ vegetable in glass Of water and let it
stand. After time the water will
! thicken up more or less, and then be-
come milky. The milkincss is due TO
the bacteria which till the water. When
putrefaclion is ended, and all the organic
matter in whatever was put into the
water has been consumed by the bacte-
ria then the water clears up and l9scs
entirely the offensive smell which it had
| Without nourishment the bacteria are
no longer active, nor are they develop
ing as they were while putrefaction was
going on. They sink to the bottom OF
the glass, and there as white sediment
lie motionless. After time they die.
As regards the activity with which
bacteria multiply, many Of them can
double their numbers every hour when
under the best conditions. When they
do that then. Professor Law tells US, IA
single bacterium would in twenty-four
hours produce no less than 1914, 220.
At the end Of forty eight hours the num-
her of offspring would number PSI 800,
100000, and would ill half pint meas
ure, all produced from a single germ
measuring l-15.00 Of an inch. "Fortu-
nately, however, bacteria rarely 50 prop,
agate themselves; they will meet with
all sorts of drawbacks. and thus, in spite
of their enormous fertility. the survivors
are in general only enough to keep fair
balance in nature" Bur all bacteria do
not multiply as rapidly as this; there are
some which multiply very slowly-those
which cause tuberculosis, for instance.
As already stated, bacteria exist every
where the air reaches; like other living
things, oxygen is essential To them.
Where decaying matter abounds there
are they to be found in the greatest num-
bers. On the tops Of the highest noun.
tains and in mid-ocean they exist, but it
is in such places that their number is the
smallest.
INFLUENCE on HEALTH
Since we live in swarms Of these mi.
I,t,
us teens with them, we naturally ask
what influence they have ON health.
Science has conclusively proved that
while many of the different forms Of
bacteria are practically harmless 60 men.
here are some which seize upon him,
and at times destroy him 1t il known
beyond all reasonable doubt that certain
forms of bacteria produce certain dis.
eases. tuberculosis, for instance; there
can scarcely be IA question but that it is
caused by special bacteria. and the most
of the physicians of today will say that
| without these bacteria 10 tuberculosis.
or. in other words, unless that peculiar
form Of bacteria is present in a lung
there cannot be consumption OF il.
Then there is an anthrax. a malignant
and fatal disease OF certain animals, and
Identical il wool sorters' and rag.
pickers' disease. that we know 10 be
caused by bacteria, for the same has
been found and its identity established
beyond all question.
The inference 10 be drawn from the
! foregoing j. clear. An bacteria. be they
harmless or do they threaten man. al.
ways swarm IN the greatest numbers
and multiply with the greatest rnpidity
where filth abounds: and the more filth
the more bacteria. One can never be
scot free from bacteria, but he can feel
quite free from the harmful sort If he
lives in pure air. with good surround
ings, practices cleanliness, and has good
water 10 drink and food to eat OF
course, disease germs may reach him
even then, but h. viii have very little
reason % fear them. Boston Herald.
| About Rats.