The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1897-11-13

We
tered upon the study Of all cell life OF
blood and Of bacteria, with . keen
sense Of their value in explaining life
and disease.
Blood freshly drawn has been photo
graphed with all its changes.
No blood has ever been photographed
In actual circulation, except . series OF
micro-motographs DR.. Watkins succeed
ed In making Of the blood stream in .
frogs foot. This picture was taken at
about the rate Of 1000 per minute and
when pictures were thrown on the
screen all the changes going on in the
cells and serum were plainly seen and
all the observations of changes in drawn
blood were confirmed. If living tissue
can be seen with the microscope, and
there are some Of the best Of reasons for
believing that it can, the nicro-moto-
scope will become invaluable.
But in the sphere of bacteriology 1t
win certainly open new and wonder
full world. The study Of bacteria aside
from their connection with disease is OF
absorbing interest, for it has been
shown from number Of reliable expert
ments made by such men as Kleba.
Dusany and others that many OF these
vast families Of micro-organism are pos
sessed of qualities akin to intelligence
itself. They behave under certain cir
cumstances very like creatures of much
higher organization. Some OF these
bacteria, under the influence of cleo
tricity, light, heat, mechanical action
and the temptation of food or poison.
manifest sense of instability, greed,
fear, etc., that is surprising. Their ac-
tions under such conditions have never
been photographed. The pictures in
the books show only the stained dead
ones, and bacteriologists have long
been accustomed to speak Of bacteria a.
without motion, but this is incorrect, a.
has lately been shown. Some families
under stimulus move with the swiftness
of flies and mosquitoes.
The apparatus and the method de-
vised for photographing are very SIM
pie. A gelatine film so feet long II
wound on q wheel of about is inches
diameter. Geared to this wheel il .
smaller wheel, turned by crank. This
little machine is hooded by box In
which, just opposite the revolving
film and on direct line with the lever
OF the microscope, Is small window.
At the other end Of the lens, lying in .
horizontal plane, is concentrated .
strong beam of light from an electric
lantern. The apparatus is capable OF
recording from 1900 to 2,000 figures \
minute. In order to catch the rapid mo-
Eon OF the blood stream In the vedn OF q
frogs foot, it had to be turned to its
fun capacity, and the frogs leg was
bound with cord to retard the motion
But the capacity of the apparatus may
be increased by enlarging the size OF
the wheel The infractions of the lens
in these pictures are carried all the way
from 10000 to $1,000, the highest capac-
ity Of the microscope. Itrequires very
high power lens to photograph, for fully
one-fourth or more Of the light Is abb
sorbed in the process, and on account OF
the heat from the powerful light the OBJ
jects in the microscopic fuid are in dan
ger Of being killed. The heat i, how
ever, not too great to impair the action
of blood. except to dry the serum and
hasten the clot formation.
DIR. Watkins was asked - TO the value
Of the pictures in making diagnoses for
different diseases as shown in the blood.
He said that these series OF pictures.
taken from time to time in the progress
Of disease or its cure, were of very
great service to physicianS memory
Not only that, but blood could be sent
by mail long distances and retain
enough of its characteristics to be In
diligently photographed. he men
toned sample Of mahrial blood he 70
Gently received from Africa. The mar
lsrial germ was stin living in it when
he photographed it. Both blood and pic
lures can now be sent by mail, and the
pictures can be made use Of by doctors
who do not have the facilities for such
nhotorranhv.- Globe.