The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-31
THE BACILLUS OF BADNESS.
The Discovery of the Microbe Gives
No Hope to Its Victims.
From the London STANDARD.

From the London Standard
1t is an understood thing nowadays that
all physical failings which cannot be 9TH
erwise explained are the work of the YER
satile and industrious microbe. This useful
little creature is to medical science what
trumps are to the whist player according
to the good old rule. When in doubt, our
learned friends play the bacillus No one
therefore, will be surprised to hear that
badness has been added to its numerous
triumphs. The theme is elaborated with
much interesting detail by Mr.. Clarke
Nuttall in the Contemporary Review. The
discovery was made, 1t appears, by M. Sc
bourand, one of the late NJ Pasteur's pu-
pills. This gentleman has found out all
about the bacillus of baldness-what 1t is
like, where it lives, and how It accomplish
es the work of destruction. A shining era
mum can no longer be claimed as mark
of superior ntellect-a reflection which
used TO be some set. off to an otherwise de :.
pressing experience. 1t Is rather unkind TO
deprive The sufferer of this innocent conso-
lation for the loss of his locks, but M Sc
bourand is ruthless. Badness, hes saws is
''one of the most purely microbial diseases
he has ever seem"
Moreover, 1t is only a variant of other
skin affections which are something worse
than unbecoming. They are all caused by
the same microbe, a little modified accord
ing TO circumstances. 1t is a small trans
parent bacillus. which, multplies by di-
viding into two. These qualities, il may
be observed are shared by a good many
other species, and cannot be called very
distinctive. The organism in question has,
however, peculiarlties of it's own. When
bent on producing balGness it locates itself
in convenient little space just above the
root of the hair and below the surface OF
the skin. How 1t gets there in the first
instance we are not informed, nor is II easy
to guess; but once on the spot, it thrives
and multiplies, and at last gets wrap
ped up into kind of cocoon" This mys-
terious proceeding Is preliminary to am In
sidious attack upon the hair follicle As
Mr.. Nutall observes, so long as the latter
Is untouched it will defy the microbe nd
continue TO sena forth hairs, whatever may
become of them On the other hand the
Cocoon is situated above the follicle, and
Is, therefore, unable to make a direct at
tack. Accordingly. the bacll proceed to
manufacture q toxin" which passes
down the hair to the root and acts as a
slow poison. Then a struggle for life en-
sues. The follicle does not succumb sll
at once, but tries to go on doing its duty.
First, the existing hair begins to decay.
II becomes weak, loses color and falls out;
another springs up to take its place. hut
that Is weaker STILL Others follow at short
intervals, the follicle showing a progress
sive decline, until it is at last unable to
make any further effort, and badness Is
fully established,
The process always begins at the tester,
according to M. Sebourand, and spreads
In circular fashion, like the concenFrlc
waves which are formed when a stone Is
thrown into water. Hence the familiar
round patch, with its stealthy but sure
enlargement. This Is very pretty and
interesting demonstration, but 1t is little
too complete TO be altogether convincing.
Those "cocoons'' and the action of the
toxin are more suggestive of the inn
agination than of the dry light of pure
observation. No doubt badness Is the
result of degenerative process in the It's
sues of the scalp, which is quite likely TO
be accompanied by the presence of some
micro-organisms. but that IT is directly
caused by a specific bacillus is an assump-
ton for which sufficient evidence has
hardly been offered. IL 1t were so enc
would naturally expect the discoverer of
the cause 70 be ready with his remedy, or
at least his suggestion for one. A specific
microbe located in particular and access
sble spot Is easily dealt with. Find the
germicide that he most dislikes and rub
il in. Almost any mercurial ointment
ought TO be certain cure for badness
according to M. Sebourand's hypothesis.
But apparently, he holds out no hope at
| all TO the victims of his new bacillus. They
have still to rely on the old hair washes,
which act. 50 far as they act at all by
| stimulating the circulation. and are,
| therefore, in agreement with the theory
| that badness is caused by a degenerative
| process due 10 failure of nutrition. This is
| further corroborated by the influence or
old age, of weak health aud mental anx-
iety on the growth OF the hair, and elso
by the fact that shaving the head fire.
| quently results in new and luxuriant
| crop.