Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-17
MICROBES OF THE SEA.
Psychological Wonders of the Ocean
| Germs Abound Off Coast.

From the Lancet.
At no particular spot has the sea been
found to be free from organisms although
those isolated and recognized have proved
to be harmless, consisting of active motile
rods and vibrios, cocci being less numerous.
AS might be expected, the number Of or
ganisms Increases immensely as the shore
is approached. Thus about mile from the
SHORE something like 1900 germs per cubic
centimetre have been found, and this in
f1uence of the shore extends for four or five
miles. Some hundreds of miles from land
the number diminishes to GOO and at great
er distances to 200 or less.
OF course, the fact that algal vegetation
Is richest near the shore, providing a high
iy nourishing hunting ground for the mar
inc organism, accounts for the myriads
usually found there. Samples of sea water
taken at some depth below the surface
proved to contain only a few bacteria per
cubic centmetre. Thus at half a mile be-
low the surface only from eight to twelve,
bacteria were present. There is little doubt
that even should pathogenic organisms gain
access to the sea, as must be the case when
sewers discharge raw sewage into it, their
activity must sooner or later be destroyed
The sea Is remarkable from a bacteria
logical point of view in containing phos-
phorescent bacteria and it is probable that
some of these are disease producing so far
at any rate, as regards certain aquatic ami
mails. Thus bacterium has been success
fully cultivated from the body of the lum-
nous talitrus which is both pathogenic
and luminous. This bacterium invades the
abdominal cavity of this aquatic animal
and all its organs with a fatal issue. Dur
ing the presence of the disease the victim
shines with a green light. which is said to
be visible nearly dozen yards away and
which persists for some hours after the de-
mise of the animal. 1t is not improbab BILE
that the luminosity of other marine animals
may be due to the invasion of this light
and disease-producing organism.
The very beautiful phenomenon of the
phoSphCrescence of the sea is caused by
photobacteria in part as well as by a va
riety of low forms of animal life. The eerie
light is in way connected with the ele-
ment phosphorus. as is very commonly sup
posed. The cause of the phenomenon is
respiratory exchange or oxidation. aero
bic function. Sea phosphorescence is never
witnessed in perfectly smooth water while
the brilliancy of the light when it is OBJ
served is always greatest upon the crests
of the waves or where the water is in a
violent state of agitation. in the wake of
a steamer. Its occurrence, therefore, is evil
dence of active oxidation. Could again, the
sea be sterilized phosphorescence would
cease.
The presence of highly combustihle mat
ter increases the light. A very simple ex-
pertinent proves this. If the flesh of a fresh
haddock or herring be placed in a 3 per
cent salt solution and kept at a low tenn
perature from 40 to so degrees FahrenheiD
the liquid will rapidly develop phosphores-
cence, which becomes quite brilliant on
adding a little elycerne or sugar, or what,
in other words, is respirable material. 1t is
curious that in marine life disease and
death should be associated with luminous
phenomena.