The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1912-05-16
.AhT|sEPT|CS, GERM|c|DES
FARMER SHOULD KNOW WHAT
THINGS ARE FATAL TO
GERM LIFE.
BY A. c. Page, College Of Agriculture,
University Of Missouri.

A good deal of mystery seems to
surround the making up of remedies,
lotions and salves for various treat
ments of wounds. There are really a
few fundamental principles, which,
once understood, simplify the thing
a good deal.
The whole difficulty In treating a
wound that has become sore and in
famed, or any other external injury
that shows soreness other than from
bruise, is on account Of the pres
ence Of the tiny organisms called bac-
terra. These are too small to see ex-
cept with powerful microscope and
under special conditions, SO we are
likely to forget that they exist. But
they are ever present, and are max
ing trouble in every place where there
is Inflammation.
The body of an animal is naturally
equipped with protective agencies
against these bacteria. There are in
the blood certain small jelly-like
things called while corpuscles, which
are for the purpose of protecting the
body against the attacks of bacteria.
| When Inflammation occurs at some
one point it will be found that the
white corpuscles which float in the
blood current have centered at the
spot where they are needed. They
absorb and kill the bacteria.
trn,,h1n 10
SO severe that the natural agencies
of the body are not able to cope with
the vast numbers of the bacteria. II
the animal is in poor condition, it has
less resisting power. In such cases
we need to assist by applying some
remedy which will help in the killing
of the germs. Most of the lotions on
the market have this as one of their
most important functions.
1t should be interesting to the farm
err to know what things are fatal to
germ life.
knowing these and a few general
principles, he can figure cut his own
methods of treatment in simple cases.
Heat is the one great germ killer.
Boiling water is fatal to practically
every known germ. That is the rea-
son for scalding out milk vessels, so
that the lurking bacteria will not be
allowed to stay and work on the next
milk that is poured in. Sunshine is
another powerful antiseptic-which is
the technical name for something that
kills germs. The germs Of tuberculo-
sis, if spread out in bright sunlight,
will die in short time, while these
germs are strong to resist most other
antiseptics
| After these comes a list of many
chemicals, all of which, in different
ways, are effective in killing germs
| Corrosive sublimate, strong poison,
is used often to wash out wounds, or
to wash off the hands of the operator.
Carbolic acid is too we'll known to
need mention. Coal tar extracts. of
which there are many on the market,
are most all good for this same pur-
pose and will kill parasites, lice, ticks,
ETC., as we'll Turpentine and alcohol
are germ killers, and turpentine has
the added advantage that it stimu-
lates the flesh around wound to
rapid rebuilding growth. BY boiling
oak bark, a decoction can be made
which is good on account of the tam
mic acid it contains. This fannie acid
may be purchased in the pure form
from chemists
Knowing that cleanliness and the
application of enc Of these washes
which is antiseptc are first principles
in curing of wounds. man can pro-
coed with more confidence in applying
a treatment.