The Republican journal., 1899-12-21
How Germs Take Disease.

| IIOW ucTIuS IdkG DlScdSe.
DIR. j. T. Main Explains the Theory.
DR.. j. T. Main, the oldest medical pr ac>
titioner in Jackson, Mich, has some in
teresting views about the germ theory of
disease.
SIT is not a theory" he said, "but a
well established fact. Take tubercnar
consumption, for instance. The sputum
contains multtudes of germs, or bacilli,
which are easily distinguished by the bac-
teliologist. If particle of this sputum
be placed in tube of sterlized blood
serum and kept at the temperature of the
human body, very many colonies of the
bacillus will grow upon the serum.
at the smallest particle from one of
these colonies be planted in another tube,
we get colonies of the second generation
of the bacilli-a pure culture, as it is cal
led; but to be sure that no other germs or
other matter that could convey contagion
exist we must carry the culture through
five, SIX or ten tubes, then we know we
have pure culture of the bacillus of tuber-
Gle aud nothing else
''lf a guinea pig or other animal be
inoculated with these last germs, or
made to inhale them, tuberculosis will
surely be produced, and the ami NAL will
die Thus We have positive proof that
these germs produce tuberculosis or con-
sumption.
ct ali individuals are not equally sus.
ceplble to any germ disease, and many
seem wholly OF partially immune. After
having had ? contagious disease and re-
covered, the individual seems immune for
| q lopuor oh A flo
diseases, as small pox, measles, ETC., this
immunity usually lasts through lille. After
some other diseases for few months ora
| few years.
| GLOW is this immunity brought about?
| The disease germs, like all other vegetable
| organisms, in order to grow and multiply,
| must be planted in a cOngenial soil. Some
individuals do not offer that soil to certain
/ disease germs and are consequently i'm
mune. Again, the white corpuscles of
the blood are actual scavengers, and APP
parently dispose of moderate numbers of
germs that stray into the blood currents
Then again, the disease germs not only
elaborate toxin that poisons their host,
| but they elaborate toxin that is really a
| toxin to the germs themselves. THIS
accunulates in the serum of the blood in
all self-linited disease $50 called, and
tcuueIS tDt blp'u dll uDSultdUlt SOll lOI
the future growth of the germ $. 1t is
upon this principle that the anti toxins
are produced-reailv toxins to the disease
germs
"A perfectly healthy horse is inoculated
with weak vilus OF diphtheria. After re-
cOVery he is again treated with a stronger
vilus, and on until he is immune-that
| is, the virus 30 longer produces an effect.
/ The blood of the horse thus operated
upon is so changed that not only is he
| immune, but the serum of his blood, in
1 iected into another animal veins renders
him also immune. In short, this is the
anti-toxin for diphtheria. If two animals,
for instance, two guinea pigs, be taken,
and one injected with a virus (culture) of
diphtheria, the other injected with the
same, plus small amount of the anti
toxin, the first will die of the disease, the
other will not be affected by it.
| Il cannot agree with many physicians,
who claim that the ant-toxin neutralzes
the poisons already generated in the sys-
TEN by the disease. What it will do is to
render those who have not the disease i'm
mune, and with those who are already in
c-ed it will stop the disease, not cure
the mischief already done. Hence the
necessity of using the serum early in the
disease.
''ln case of sore throat that is doubtful,
meteorological examination will show at
/ once whether diphtherla exists or not,
and if it does not an hour should be lost
before using the antl-toxin. In tubercu-
/ losls again, the early use of the serum is
of the most vital Importance.
/ Il have reports of nearly l 200 cases
that were treated by serum paul Per
! gun s) aside from nearly 400 bacterolog-
ical specimens made by myself, and the
results will show that consumption is no
longer an incurabe disease provided the
Discrimination of the vital organs has
I taken place, and provided also that pure
air. pure aud abundant food and good
hygienc conditions be supplied OF course,
where the lung is largely disorganzed
and the system emaciated, the most
that can be done is to prolong life, and to
some extent prevent the suffering of the
patient.
! There can be but little doubt in the
mind of the scientific physician who will
examine the work done and being done in
| the meteorological and physiological lab
oratories all over the world, chat we shall
be a bic to deal with them with scientific
precision.
''it has been said that medicine was
not an exact science. 1t is rapidly be-
coming SUCH but so long as disease is con-
sidered of itself an entity to be drawn out
by plasters and pads or to be washed
out by cathartics, we cannot boast of scien-
tific precision" Detroit News.
Resolutions of Respect,