The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-07-11
GOOD GERMS AND BAD.
A World Without BacilIl Would Be
Decidedly Flat and Stale.



Because few bacilli are bad II does
not follow that all are. The science OF
bacteriology has brought the microbe
into an evil prominence. the bad MEM
bers 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 10 the whole family
OF bacilli, so that we are as well ac-
quainted with the reputable members
as we are with the scalawags OF the
tribe-those wicked germs which pro-
duce every evil that flesh is ner 90,
from chicken pox TO yellow fever
when we get on familiar terms with the
reputable ones, then we will appreci-
ate the worth of the family. In the
not distant future bottles OF bacilli
may stand on dinner tables. along
with the Worcester sauce and the cat
sup, and. instead of having our food
''sterilized," as the fad is now, we may
discharge the cook because she forgot
10 order n bottle Of that particular mi
crobe which she knows we always use
on beefsteak.
- Besides the microbes which are
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 beneficcnt germs In the Nineteenth
Century, gives this picture of world
''sterilized" i'm the meteorological sense:
First. we observe with gratitude
that we have done with large num-
ber OF diseases, acute and chronic, af-
fecting beasts and men. Rinderpest
and glanders have disappeared; an
thrax no longer slays it's thousands
among sheep and cattle; tuberculosis
I'm all it's forms is unknown. The plague
has vanished. never to reappear i'm East
or West. Leprosy, the mysterious
scourge OF many ages and many
lands, at last dies out. In all probabil-
ity we may expunge scaratina, measles
and all the common infectious fevers
from our textbooks. certainly no one
neeu fear cholera, typhoid. diphtheria
or erysipelGs. Boils, carbuncles and
the like embossed sores and headed
evils no longer Nex humanity. Nay,
even toothache is. III not extinct. at all
events a rare afiliction. In this changed
world wounds and injuries are robbed
OF half their terrors. and surgeons take
no precautions against septic trouble.
Food y I ming by ptomaines is never
heard OF. Sanitation becomes easy; evil
odors are almost banished from our
streets Various minor sources of an
noyance have been abolished; milk
does not turn sour nor butter rancid
eggs keep always fresh: in the hottest
summer ou~ meat never becomes high
IT would almost seem that everybody
should be satisfied. except the bacteri-
ologist, 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 elevating influence OF
their classic architecture over the pub
lie parks. But the doctor declares that
soon we would begin 10 miss something
in our germless world. There would be
no beer. wine or whisl<ey, all the yeast
plants having been killed by germiclde.
All bread would have TO be aerated, 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. Vine
gar could no longer be manufactured.
for all the members of that branch of
the bacilli family to whom is intrusted
the care OF working on weak alcoholic
solutions would have been killed. TfIn
our digestions would give out. 1nhabit-
ing the alimentary canal are innumer-
able micro-organisms, which work
night and day helping us digest our
food. Now, IL these friends OF ours
were all killed by a universal "steriliza-
tfon,' we would soon feel the effects OF
IL. Herbivorous animals, including
vegetarians, would he affected espec-
ally, for they would lose the power TO
assimilate the allulose which enters so
largely into their food.
Tie extinction OF the cellulose- -decom-
posing bacteria would also bring IL
about that the tough nbers OF hemp
and flax no longer would separate after
maceration I'm water. and so the textile
Industries would be fnterfered with
The extinction OF those little WORKERS
who hace in charge the making OF salt
peter would stop the production OF nj
trates. But worse than all this would
be the fact that neither grass nor herb
nor tree could grow in a 'sterilized"
soil. and as animal life is dependent on
vegetable life. all things would come to
an end. A ''sterilized' world would be
a dead world.
DIR. Gabbett evidently believes this,
FOR he says: THE amount OF carbon,
hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen etc, avail
able for the composition OF living
bodies Is not an unlimited quantity,
but is constantly utilized dover and
over again; there are necessary econo-
mics in the working OF the laboratories
OF nature. At present all living things
die and return TO the earth from which
they are derived, and their substances
are again used TO construct the sub
stances of new living things. A part
Is at once assimilated by 'necrophag-
ous' creatures. the scavengers OF the
soil; but the important economy con-
sists In the slow decomposition set up
by bacteria, resolving dead organic
matter into elements available for fresh
life. III these decompositions were to
cease, II animals and plants were TO re-
main incorruptible after death how
can we escape the conclusion that
sooner or later the supply OF such avail
able elements must be exhausted, and
life itself must come 10 an end?"
Therefore. in our detestation OF the
disreputable members OF the baciin
family, let US not forget those hard
working and faithful members who
ceaselessly labor that we NAV 1.-Two