Evening journal., 1903-05-25
CHATS WITH OUR DOCTOR.

The microscope opened a new world
TO the scientist and threw a volume OF
light on the subject or the origin OF
disease. Without It the germ theory
could never have been satisfactorily
established ana the possibilities OF
preventing sickness would have been
much less The bacteria which It re-
yealed form a most interesting and
important subject OF study They are
among the smallest and simplest Of
all living things. They resemble the
cells OF which plants are composed,
and like plants, their growth depends
upon moisture, warmth and food.
These conditions being supplied, they
multiply with great rapidity. It is
stated that from one germ 200 may be
produced in three hours and 10000 in
six hot~s. Like the forms Of higher
life with which we are acquainted,
these minute organisms live upon the
substance which surround them, and
these substances they transform into
waste and poisonous material. The
changes produced by the growth ana
development OF bacteria in living
bodies constitute what we know as
disease.
A familiar illustration OF the rapid
development OF bacteria under fav-
orable conditions is found in the
change which takes place in milk
more especially in warm weather. The
milk becomes sour by the changing Of
its milk sugar into acid, produced by
bacteria. The germs which cause the
various infectious diseases, such as
typhoid fever. scarlet fever, diphtheria
and consumption readily live and null
tlply in milk, and outbreaks OF these
diseases have been traced to milk that
had become contaminated. Great care
should always be exercised TO insure
cleanliness In handling milk. The ut
most care Is also necessary where in
fictitious diseases are known to exist
to prevent the spread OF the germs and
TO cause their destruction as COM
pletely as possible. 1t Is we'll to un-
derstand that the germs OF scarlet
fever are thrown or In the discharges
from the nose and throat and the
scaling from the skin. Those which
cause typhoid fever abound in the
discharge from the bowels and blad-
der Vaults and closets should there
fore be kept thoroughly disinfected.
The germs which cause consumption
and diphtheria are contained in tho
sputum OF persons affected and this
should always be quickly burned
A bulletin recently issued by the Illi-
nois state University has this TO say
on the subject of preventing the rapid
development OF bacteria in milk
"As soon as It is drawn. milk should
be removed from the stable to a
place provided for the purpose, and
there treated and cooled to 90 or co
degrees F. This should be done either
by setting the cans into a tank OF
cold water and stirring occasionally.
or by passing the milk over a cooler.
The latter method is TO be preferred
II the cooling can be done in a pure
atmosphere free from dust. 1t is OF
great Importance to have a small milk
house or some clean room. away from
the odors OF the stable in which to
care for milk. The sooner milk is
/ thoroughly cooled after it is drawn
and the lower the temperature 10
which Il is taken, the better. Bao-
teria that get into milk during the
process OF milking develop very rapidly
so long as milk remains at about the
temperature at which It was drawn,
but as soon as cooled to so degrees
they develop slowly, and II cooled to 40
degrees their action is almost entirely
] stopped. Milk cooled to this tenn