Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-07-09

Because a few baciiii are bad, it does
not follow that all are. The science OF
bacteriology has brought the microbe
into an evil prominence, the bad mem
beers of the family being the only ones
popularity known. But there are good
microbes, which are essential to our
health, and even life. When science
has introduced us to to the whole fam
dly of bacilli, SO that we are as well
acquainted with the reputable mem
beers as we are with the scalaWags OF
the tribe-those wicked germs which
produce every evil that flesh is heir to,
from chickenpox to yellow fever-Wheh
we get on familiar terms with the re-
putable ones, then we will appreciate
the worth of the family. In the not
distant future bottles of the bacilll
may stand on dinner tables, along
with the Worcester sauce and catsup,
and instead of having our food 'sterli-
lied" as the fad is now, we may dis
charge the cook because she forgot 10
order bottle OF that particular mlcroDe
which she knows we always use on
beefsteak.
Besides the microbes which are a
positive benefit to us, there are many
who are the workers OF the world
without whose constant labor neither
beast nor bird nor flower would i've.
DIR. Henry S. Gabbett, in an article on
benifcent germs in the Nineteenth Cen
fury, gives this picture OF world
"stcrilized" in the meteorological
sense:
"First, we observe with gratitude
that we have done with large number
of diseases, acute and chronic, affecting
beasts and men. Rindepest and CLAN
ders have disappeared; anthrox no
longer Stays its thousands among sheep
and cattle; tuberculosis in all its forms
is unknown The plague has vanished
, never to reappear in East or West.
Leprosy, the mysterious scourge Oh
many ages and many lands at last dies
out. In all probability we may eX-
plunge scarlatina, measles and all the
common infectious fevers from our
textbooks; certainly no one needs fear
cholera, typhoid diptheria or erysipe-
las. Boils, carbuncles and the like en-
bossed sores and headed evils no
longer vex humanity! Nay, even
toothache, if not extinct, at all events
a rare affection. In this changed world
wounds and injuries are robbed OF half
their terrors, and surgeons take no
precautions against septic trouble. Food
poisoning by ptomaines is never heard
, of. Sanitation becomes easy; evil odors
are almost banished from our streets.
Various minor sources of annoyance
have been abolished; milk does not
turn sour nor butter rancid; eggs keep
always fresh; in the hottest summer
our meat never becomes high 1t
would almost seem that everybody
should be satisfied, except the bacteria
logist, whose occupation is done"
1t was probably in anticipation of
some such state of affairs that the
''steriliZed" milk booths were allowed
to radiate the eleyating influence of
their classic architecture over the pub
qic parks But the doctor declares that
soon we would begin to miss some
thing in our germless world. There
would be no beer, wine or whisky, all
the yeast plants having been killed by
the germicide. All bread would have
to be areated, for the leaven which has
been employed for SO many centuries
would have lost its potency. Cheese
would not "ripen," and there would be
distinct falling off in the flavor Of the
best butter. Vinegar could no longer