The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1899-03-10
Selert MisrrlluIllI.
On the Track Of the Microbe.
BY SIR EDMUND NERNEY. EART

The science Of bacteroloay is stead
lily advancing, and, though still in its
infancy, already furnishes clue to
many OF the great problems of nature.
Several important industries are en-
tirely based upon the decomposition OF
bacteria. Hardly any animal or vegc-
table substance is able to resis. their
softening influence, and the artisan re-
lies upon this power in many directions
When, for instance, flax, for the manu-
tacture of linen, is exposed to the action
Of moisture and heat, rapid bacterial
growth is developed, which sottens the
gummy substance holding the fbres
together. The fibre of the cocoanut is
| obtained from the husk 10y the same
means. Bacteria promote the tanning
Of leather and the cleansing OF spongcs
They play an important part in the
Preventative industries, the making OF
vinegar. the preparation of indigo. and
the curing of tobacco and opium.
Dairy bacteriology is a study in it
self. with literature Of its own The
active part taken by bacteria in the
ordinary operations Of agriculture is
only now beginning to be appreciated;
soils and plants inoculated with appro-
pirate bacteria are found to be greatly
more productive; plant life would not
bepossible without the mcro-organisms
which are instruments in returnidg the
nitrogen to the earth, their function
being to break down animal and vege-
table matter after death and set free
their constituent clements
Mr. Clark Nuttall tells us that it is
in the spring time, when the sun begins
to warm the chilly earth, that the gar
dener and the agriculturist feel the
| beneticent work of the microbes: they
act upon the huSkS that have pro
tcctcd the seeds against the rigors Of
the winter, and crumble them up. 50
/ that the seeding is free to grow: they
break down the stony wall OF the cherry
and plum. which has hitherto impris-
oneh the embryo. When the Young
/ plant starts, they attach themselves t,
| its roots, assist it to take in all sorts
! of nutrimrnt from air and soil, and so
/ help it through its life. By-and hy,
when its course has run, they turn the
green leaves. and the woody stem, and
the dark root. back into the very ele-
ments from which they were built up,
ready for use again in new cycle Of
life.
I Most, possibly all forms of disease,
and especially Of infectious disease are
accompanied by the presence of some
intinitcsimally small li'ing organism
Il micr, be. dillcrin. in form. in color.
and Ia action. in different diseases
Microbes are mostly possessed of great
vitality, although in this respect the
different kinds vary widely; some
quickly de under good sanitary con
ditions; but DR.. Sidney Martin has
found that the typhoid bacillus, which
generally requires oxygen, may be cul-
tivated without it, and even lives in an
atmosphere Of carbonic acid. Dr.
[ trlmann has found that it will live for
several weeks in dry soil or in clothes.
Consumption in mankind, and tubor-
culosis in anl"al>, prove to he one ard
tn" same disease. Sir James Sawyer,
the eminent surgeon O. the Midlands.
writing in the Lnmd Hyo-ine for last
October. asserts this with no uncertain
sound: "'rhc tuhcrcc bacillus is one
and ndiliSahlr. the same for man an'l
the lower animals 1t is the single and
essential determining cause OF tuhcT-
cu!ar disease. whether that disease ma Y
he found in Il living being Without