The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-11-27

tinue TO breed rapidly in spite of every
! effort to destroy it. As long as it ex-
/ lists malaria viii flourish, and. therefore.
the discovery Of the value of Ilethylene
| blue is the greatest boon to mankind
in the fever districts that has been
produced In modern times.
Yellow Fever Germs Undiscovered.
During the past year the theory Of
germ con 5eyance by mosquitoes in yell
low fever epidemics has gained wide
acceptance. Many Of the results OF the
experimental work in malaria may be
applied TO this fever. There is one
marked difference. Il was thought sew
ersl years ago that the germ OF yellow
fever had been discovered. Scientists
examined the blood OF infected persons.
and found organisms that were believed
to be the bacillus. Ii is nov known
that these organisms are the yellow
fever bacillus which seems TO be ultra
microscopic.
The triumph of science over bacteria
is well illustrated in the medical meth
DDS of the japanese in the present war
with Russia. one of he greatest dan
gers associated with injuries and wounds
of the body. whether inflicted by ac-
cident. or made by the knife OF the sur
geon in necessary operations, is the
liability to what is known as blood
poisoning.
So great Is this danger that IL has
long been known that in war great
many more lives are lost from blood
poisoning than by bullets. The cause
of this form of disease, which Is so apt
10 complicate wounds. was for hong
time unknown. Then. as these wounds.
were apt, in blood poisoning. 10 be foul
and bad smelling, il was concluded that
the trouble might be that dirt or NTH
OF some sort got into them, and SO set
no the disease.
What the particular thing was.
whether bacteria or something else,
which so gained entrance TO the body, no
one knew. But the surgeons did not
wait until they should know all about
the cause Of the trouble. but began to
apply TO the wounds such materials as
would actually kill germs. or at any
rate, keep the wounds free from putre-
factive changes.
Denizens Of the Air.
Then. as IL seemed more and more as
If the trouble were due TO living germs
falling upon the wounds from the air
with the dust, il became the practice
when surgical operations were being
done or wounds dressed TO spray car
bolic acid I'm the air about the opera tors
hands and over his Instruments and
upon the wounds and when the band
ages were put on to seal them IN tightly.
so that no germs could gain access to
the wound while the healing went on.
Al this time the particular species OF
bacteria which produced the trouble re-
NAMED entirely unknown; indeed. IL was
only hypothesis that the disease was
due 10 germs az all
A eat deal Of careful laboratory work
has. however been done on this subject.
and a great many animal experiments
made, until now 81 is known not only
that blood poisoning but abcesses. cry
sipelas. and many other less serious in
Examinations are caused by bacteria. The
effects OF the disease-producing bacteria
vary considerably under different con-
diticns. Sometimes the general con-
ditiou OF the body is such that il seems
20 furnish very favorable soil for their
proliferution or is especially vulnerable
10 their action. Sometimes the particu-
lar germs which gain access seem 20 be
especially virulent. perhaps from thei1
inherent vigor or from conditions about
which aothing Is known.
More than one-seventh OF all the
people who die are carried on pre-
maturely by consumption on tuberculosis. /
But IL Is only within the present decade
that complete knowledge has been had
as 10 the cause Of the disease. Ply
sic..srs have become very expert in de
tecting its advent and in tracing its |
course, and came long ago 20 know but
too wei WHITTIER IL tended. The disease
was usually regarded as hopeless, and |
IT'S treatment was entered into rather |
for Eumanity's sake than in the expecta- |
ton Of inducing q cure.