Evening journal., 1899-08-02
MICROBES ARE DELICATE,
Unless the Conditions Arc just Ri;Sht,
They VIII Not Thrive
at All.

In avery interesting lecture delivered
st the Royal College OF Physicians. DR..
Poore describes the action Of the earth
IN relation to the preservation and de-
struction Of contagia, pointingout that
the chemical composition OF earth is
constantly changing, and that its iit-
ness for supporting the lifeiof the va
fious micro-organisms that are found
in il varies accordingly.
Each OF these microbes presumably
grows best in what one may call its op-
timum conditions, and the smallest al
teration in these conditions may turn
the scale and decide which among the
competing organisms shall obtain the
mastery. in Illustration Of the Gu
rious exactitude of the conditions
without which certain fungi win not
grow, and Of their extraordinary de-
yelopment, whenever these conditions
are fulfilled, DR.. Poore refers TO the
growth Of mushrooms
"Some OF the larger saprophytes," he
says, "such, for instance, as the COM
mon mushroom, require no little skin
for their artificial production, involving
far more attention TO exact details than
Is necessary with the ordinary green
leaved garden plants. We know that
for a few weeks in the autumn they
may appear in great numbers in dry
pastures where horses have been fed,
provided that the conditions of the air,
as temperature, light and moisture. be
favorable, and we also know that di-
rectly the necessary conditions fail
the mushrpom harvest is at an end"
And it is clear that "the optimum
conditions for the growth and develop
ment Of these sbort-liyed and delicats
organisms must be marvelously subtle,
probably quite beyond the ken Of the
chemist"
Referring then TO certain diseases,
such, for example, as anthrax and To-
tanus, the.germs Of which are known to
grow freely'in certain soils, attention is
drawn 30 the rarity with which men are
attacked by them, even when working
on Land which has almost certainly been
infected. We are thus brought fn1c
to face with thc Importance of the ex-
tra-corporeal phases Of microbic life
in the maintenance of continuity Of il.
lection. Unfortunately, we seem t1
know but little in regard TO the exac'
conditions under which the several
1 pathogenic organisms are best able &c
Il maintain their existence in saprophytis
form. Something we know about tn,
bacillus OF the tuberculosis. aud some
thing we are beginning to know about
that OF cnteric fever, but much more
knowledge in this direction is badly
wanted
IL IS true enough, no doubt, as haI
been well said. that "the proper stud,
Of inapkind Is man." but this is jus
} v.lsas fRe patirsiogiat m,stanlearn II hl
; would get 60 t4n boston Of tha euolpgy
and especially Of the epidemiology, 9
infeetioas ailments. No longer mus
. be be eontent ,tos stsay ais action o
the mierebc within mans frarAo or "a,
! rsethpds sy Vshieh Il hfakga toxins an
AIS wp Gseef, Rat he sruat tSase il
: IKE hiafe1sy oftside, aud Ind out wha
y these infaetions PARTICLES are dQinl
: and how .theK are Living through tn
. long intersai Hat sometimes lapsts be
. tween ilie teg-minatioh- Of one ease
and the development Of another. On
fine morning we look out upon our pad
dock and find 10 full Of mushrooms
and another, although We know tha
the spore IS present just the same
there is net mushroom TO be seen
It was the conditions. NOS the seel
. alone, that made them grow. And thi
E is a parabie.-Hospitnl