The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1910-03-09
MOVING PICTURES OF THE MICROBE
Bacli, Magnied 100000 Times, Acting They Do
n Unique and Instruct
Pictorial Collections.

Moving pictures which show the
activities of the most microscopic
forms of life, such as disease germs,
have not received much attention on
the part of fiIm-makers in this coun-
try, although such views have become
a highly developed speciality abroad,
says writer in the New York Press.
A surprising number of moving pic
lures of various germs and microbes,
many of which are entirely unknown
to the layman, have been made.
These pictures are magnified from
100000 to 100000 times, and
the bacilli are as big as good-sized
snakes when they are projected upon
the screen. They crawl, squirm,
fight, eat and disport themselves ex-
actly as they do in their natural
state. Not only that, but even mole
cules in motion have been caught by
the camera.
1t is only after an immense
amount of painstaking labor and the
expenditure of a good deal of money
that the photography Of those living
micro-organsms is achieved. The
chief trouble that the pioneers in
this line had to overcome was that
of light. 1t was necessary to turn
a ray of 2,000-candle power on the
speck that was being magnified and
photographed, and yet not destroy
il by heat. How this was done is
not explained. 1t is one of the trade
secrets of the manufacturers. OW-
L,
specimens of bacteria formerly placed
under the microscope had to be
stained. The operation of staining, |
however, killed the germs and their |
subsequent examination was more orI
less a pOst-moTtem study. These |
moving pictures, however, obviate |
entirely the destruction of the germs |
and show them for the first time in |
all stages of growth and movement |
One of the most interesting of |
these pictorial collections of bacteria !
is a film more than 600 feet long, |
which gives a series of remarkable |
pictures of the germs of typhoid. 1t !
is said this is the first time in the |
history of scientific research that |
they have been photographed alive.
Another interesting specimen is |
called the bacteria gluttOn." This |
extraordinary infusOrian feasts upon |
the germs that, in most cases, are |
fatal to man. This glutton germs |
lives chiefly by the consumption OF
these deadly, invisible organism; but |
when it dies-possibly from over |
eating-the remaining bacteria pitch |
in and eat up their enemy.
Of
ganisms are the megatherium ba-
cilli and peramecium. These bugs
live in contaminated water but, al
though they are the giants of the
bacteria world they have to be mag
nified more than 60,000,000 times in
order to have their pictures taken.
The nematOld bacteria is another
aquatic germ that is supposed to
cause many diseases in man and in
domestic animals. These worms"
are particularly active and blood
thirsty, and are continually fighting
among themselves. A view of any
of these motion pictures of the bat
ties OF the bacilli is said to be a sure
cure for the drink habit
The fresh water hydra is another
of these minute heterogeneous, al
though it is so large it does not re-
quire a magnifcatiOn of more than
100000 times for Photographic
purposes. Pictures of it are said to
show it expanding and contracting
its telescope body and numerous
arms. Attached to it's side is young
baby hydra. The youngster has