The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-09-22
PRODUCED BY GERM
WHICH SUN KILLS
Second Article Published by Ohio
Society Showing How Tuber-
CuIOSiS Takes Root.


The second article published by the
Ohio Society for the Prevention of
tuberculosis has been issued.
1t Is as follows:
To understand the nature or the ex-
citing cause of tuberculosis we must
say a word about germs of bacteria.
These are minute organisms. far too
small to be seen by the naked eye,
and belong to the vegeta BILE kingdom.
The majority are most useful SER
wants of man, and are continuously
working for him. They are the cause
of all decomposition and putrefac-
tion. Man and animals, the trees and
the flowers, die and return to earth.
After time they become part of 1t.
Earth to earth and dust to dust"
It Is the bacteria that produce the
decay. The organic is turned back to
Inorganic matter. This change is un-
ceasing, and without IL all life would
soon end.
See how fruit is preserved, and was
preserved by housewives long before
germs were heard of. The fruit is
boiled. This kills the germs. The jars
are also placed in boiling water.
While still hot the fruit is hermeti-
cally sealed. We used to think it was
the air that caused the fruit to spoil.
But We can stop up the jar with cot
ton which lets in the air. and the
fruit will keep just as well. The cot
ton keeps out the germs.
Most of the germs require certain
conditions to grow. They must have
suitable food. air, water and favor
able temperature. Some only grow in
the absence of air toxygen) and some
only in the dark. They are much like
the larger plants with which we are
familiar-as wheat, corn, barley, etc.
To grow well they need a suitable
soil lfoodl, rain and sunshine.
In 1882 Robert Koch discovered that
tuberculosis is produced by germ, a
vegetable parasite, which he named
the bacillus tuberculosis This germ
grows with great difficulty outside of
the body. 1t has to be cultivated with
extreme care in the laboratory. Sun
shine rapidly destroys it. 1t will not
live long in perfectly dry state-it
must have water like other plants.
But in dark moist places it may live
for months. 1t gets into the bcdy in
a number of ways. 1t may be in the
air we breathe and enter the lung
directly, or it lodges in the tonsils and
Is carried to various parts of the
body by the Emphatic system. II
lmay be swallowed. 1t may enter the
body through break in the skin.
In the great majority of cases
Especially in adults, It attacks the
lungs. Here 1t causes various infiam
Imatory changes with the production
of little tubercles, hence the name
Tuberculosis. These tend to softer
and break down, forming cavities
The patient coughs and expectorates
and casts out large numbers of thes,
germs Hitler estimates that ther,
may be as many as IO0. .OO0. 900 in eacl
cubic centimetre (about Is drops) o
sputum.
We have seen that these may liv,
outside of the body for some time
II Unless extreme care is taken to de
stroy them there arc many chance
for them to gain access to the lung
of other persons, especially of thos'
who are constantly with the patient
As long as the sputum (matter expec
torated) Is moist, the germs are inn
prisoned. When this dries they ar,
liberated and mlngle with the dust
When the dust is stirred up, as IL
sweeping a room occupied by care
less consumptive, the air becomes fill
ed with the germs. When the air Il
still they settle to the floor. Babie
creeping on the floor, and putting fin
ger. and articles found to theil
m luths, swallow them. and many con
tract tuberculosis in some form
Flies settle upon the sputum ant
carry of germs which they may after
ward deposit upon or in food or drink
When the consumptive expectoratei
upon the street the germs finall.
mingle with the dust and are blown
here and there. 1t is probable thai
most of these are killed by exposur,
to light and air. The undried sputun
on the sidewalk may readily contan
mate a long dragging skirt and b'
carried into the house to be there SCI
free.
In many ways these germs find al
entrance to the human body. Wha
then happens? That depends upol
the soil. We are practically certain
, that these germs will not grow in tn,
tissues of perfectly healthy body
at least not to an extent to produc,
discoverable signs of disease. Blu
here our knowledge is less prefect
We see persons apparently in excel
lent health contract consumption
others, diseased or in evident II
health, escape though exposed to tn
germs for long periods
But many persons undoubtedl
have a slight attack of tuberculosi
and get well of 1t without knowing II
On the post mortem table 1t is CON
4 mon occurrence to find healed tuber