Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-24
THE FEAR OF MICROBES.
Nature Will Preserve Proper Balance
If Her Laws Are Not Violated.

FROM the New YORK Herald.
Sir Frederic Treves not long ago, In no.
table address delivered before a learned
scientific body in England. made the rather
startling statement that disease was essen
TALLY a benefcent process-a blessing In
disguise. Although at first sight II may be
difficult~to accede to such proposition, We
must realize that all infection is fight
between man and the microbe. in which
the latter must necessarily be defeated in
the long run. Otherwise the human race
would eventually disappear.
The law Of survival of the flttest Is al
ways, on the side of the stronger Influences.
If the law Is openly violated the punishment
Is inevitable. In the selfconscous estimate
of our superior intelligence we are not pre-
pared to believe that disease such Is the
penalty of our ignorance. But such Is the
melancholy fact. This has been proved
over and over again by the various discov-
cries in disease prevention. and more reve-
lations on that line must come to light as
we advance In sanitary Investigations. 4,
1t is only during the last few years that
the microbe has become an important fac
tor in the problem of infection. The discov-
cry has simplified our methods of inquiry
very much We now know the causes or
tuberculosis, cholera, plague, malaria, yell
low fever. cerebro-Spinal meningitis, typhoid
fever, the sleeping sickness the hook worm
disease elephantiasis and various minor
affections. and the end is not yet. All these
findings are dependent upon direct and pre-
ventable microbic Infection. Certainly so
far we have done exceedingly well
AS IN all other matters of similar inter-
est. We are likely to have the pendulum
swing to an extreme degree In the opposite
direction. The microbe, important as 1t
may be as a disease factor, may have its
good points. We have, in such connection,
but to think of the vast culture ground for
the friendly heterogeneous in the various
cavities OF our bodies. These microbes help
digestion by creating needful ferments
They combat pathogenic germs and cancel
their detrimental influences IN various
ways, and thus help to conserve Our
vital forces, maintain nutrition and main
tain natural immunity against infection or
any kind.
1t behooves US then to be careful not 10
disturb this equilibrium of healthful proc
esses by applying foolish and scarce
theories regarding the assumed harmfulness
OF all microbes. But we are liable to do
this all the time in our anxiety to escape
threatening diseases.
There are very many persons, for in
stance. who dare not drink water unless 1t
Is boiled, its taste killed and its health CIV
Ing properties virtually destroyed. The
same with sterilized milk. We forget that
the raw article. II only pure. Is the safest
of all food products. Even with the dreaded
tuberculous milk the dangers are merci-
fully reduced to a minimum. So with our
water. Experts declare that our Croton, in
spite of It's accidental impurity at times, is
the best and safest drinking water in the
world.
Even when pathogenic germs are almost
everywhere we have fair chance of living
on. The inhaled tubercle bacillus is harm
less to most persons; with others the ty-
phoid germ is inert. II all who breathed
tuberculous germs or ingested typhoid MI
.cr0bes should die the human race ere this
would have been long extinct. Nature pro-
tects US by natural immunity against all
widely spread maladIes. 1t Is only when
we furnish the soil for the seed that dis
ease takes It's hold. The best of all re-
sistance Is that of a sound, strong body,
germ or no germ.