The herald., 1896-10-25
FOUND THE DEATH GERM
A Brooklyn Physician Claims There
Are Bacilli That Feed on Life

The germs of cholera, diphtheria, con-
sumption-of nearly all the dieases, in
a word-have been identified and photo
graphed. Measures have been taken to
exterminate them or to nullify their
pernicious activity in the human sys-
tenn. Now we have the bacillus of death
itself
A Brooklyn physician, after close mi
croscopical research, has discovered in
the corpuscles of human blood the germ
whose life is death-the death of man
kind. The physician who has made
this startling discovery is G. Fish Clark.
DR.. Clark is now studying the germs s
habits with the view to devising means
that will destroy it, or at least keep it at
bay.
In the following paper he makes pub
lie the result Of his researches: When
we, by any means through immortality,
ignorance or violation of natures laws,
do anything to deplete our tissues these
ever-present, always vigilant microbes
search their way to that degenerate
tissue and work towards it's destruction.
This is disease.
In case of disease, when the blood is
sent gushing through the arteries and
chemical changes occur more rapidly,
heat is produced by this chemical ac-
tion, and we have what is known as
high temperature. Nature in her ef-
fort to mend herself by increased speed,
so that she may renew her oxygen, pro-
duces this fever. In the case of local
injury an excessive amount of blood
rushes 50 that spot to supply the injured
tissue. Congestion and local heat i'm
mediately follow.
The red corpuscles are the oxygen
laden glObules. Every time we breathe
millions of these corpuscles renew life,
throw off the carbonic acid gas and i'm
oipe the oxygen. Then, fresh from
nQfI1ra'S
puscles, having entered the heart, carry
life to the tissues.
Stop breathing for moment and that
moment the tissues begin to die.
Here, then, is the vulnerable point in
ilfe-at ''the focus of all tissues meta
morphoses.''
This is the point at which we find
the mortis bacillus.
In July. 1893, while examining the blood
under powerful microscope 1 observed
two or three red corpuscles unite and
form white corpusoele. Over the field
OF the glass with an amoeboid move
ment I saw for the first time a bright
reddish cell move away. 1t was smaller
than single red cprpuscle and with
the added characteristic of Independent
motion. The oxygen and other vital in
gradients of the red corpuscle were gone,
the cOrpuscles united and formed them
selves into white corpuscle. The tissue
lost the precious oxygen upon which it
feeds; the mortis bacillus purloined the
morsel In negative way such a change
would lessen the carrying powers of the
red corpuscles in their function of re-
lieving the system of the deadly carbon
ic acid gas.
The mortis bacilli may occur in groups
or singly. They are minute globules
They change their shape Sometimes
they appear like minute spiders extend
ing themselves in every direction, SOME
times they shrink up and are almost
round; at other times they flatten them
selves, and then again they look like
canary seeds. They multiply rapidly
under the proper circumstances by d.
viding themselves; they are about 1-55OO
of an inch in diameter, though they
vary in size. They move by means Of
protruding part Of their body forward
and drawing the other part to it. They
are of fawn to reddish color. They
are numerous in proportion to the condi-
tion of the individual In a case of ty-
phoid fever from which 1 drew a few
drops Of blood discovered that the red
corpuscles did not exceed the white and
that the mOrtis bacilli were everywhere
present. In a healthy child of healthy
parents searched in vain to find them.
In my observations have veiled as far
as possible the space around the reflec-
tor of the microscope and allowed a
strong light to strike it. have usually
dropped drop of water over the speci-
mems to be examined.-New York World.