Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1914-12-18
CHANGES IN BACTERIA AND DIS.
EASE.


EASE.
The universal property Of irritable
ity, which Is simply the power to re-
spond to stimuli, makes all organisms
the result of the interaction of two
sets Of factors-the factors of inheri-
lance and the factors of environment.
The factors of inheritance cover all
the complex association Of properties
or capacities transmitted from the par
ents which make up the specific inheri-
lance characteristic of each individual;
the factor of environment on the other
hand covers all those conditions which
are capable of influencing the diner
entiation, growth and behavior. or. IN
other words, the general metabolism,
of the organism. The inheritance may
be compared to everything that leads
up to the production Of a blank
photograph disk; the environment
and stimuli may be compared to every
thing acting through the needle which
cuts the dots and dashes into the sur
face of the disk. Obviously the hnal
result, or the individual. must be the
product of these two sets of factors
and in exact accordancetwith the quail
ity and capacity of the disk. the hard
ness or softness of the needle and the
amount of power behind it.
Since the germs of disease are liv-
ing organisms they also must be sub
ject to the laws of evolution, and IN
this fact we have proof of the asser-
ton that every man makes his own
disease; because no two can be exact
ly alike, they must vary widely IN
space and time. Not only does each
individual human being vary, but each
species of bacteria varies from time
to time, 80 that the well-known dis
eases cannot be the same in different
localities or In different generations.
Proof of this has recently been fur
nished in the work of Twort and PEN
fold, who have educated" the typhoid
fever bacillus to ferment sugar, which
ordinarily 1t does not do. Revis has
obtained varieties of the bacillus coll
structurally and physiologically differ
emit from the parent by prolonged cul-
ture in various media. Very recently
Madam Victor Henri has produced
marked mutations In a particularly
well defined and stable bacterial
species, the bacillus anthracis.
The micro-organism. bacterium an
| xl..s. r,vo. riso <<, an infoctioua md
usually fatal bacterial disease In AMI
mails, especially in cattle and sheep.
characterized by alterations of the
skin. enlargement of the spleen and
\ general collapse. a disease generally
known as splenic fever. Man occa-
sionally contracts the disease by in
oculation from the animal. Carbuncle,
malignant pustule and wool sorters'
disease are caused by the anthrax bac.
terra. The normal bacterium Is a long
rod shaped micro-organism having
marked and characteristic reactions
Nine. Henri has modified the organism
with the ultraviolet light. The meth
cd employed was to expose an aqueous
(water) suspension of anthrax spores
, in a quartz tube to ultra violet radia
tions for times varying from one to
forty minutes and afterward growing
cultures from these mixtures.
: The majority of the organisms were
killed by this treatment because the
ultraviolet rays were markedly bac
tericidal, but a few survived and &C
: cording to the conditions and the
length of the exposure the bacillus un
derwent notifications and SHOWED
characteristics decidedly different from
the typical anthrax bacillus. Thu
principal of these we're coccoid form
and a thin filamentous form. Thes'
two forms constitute two new type
which Nine. Henri has isolated, ant
|. they remain stable for about tire,
I months. They produce anthrax which
has characteristics distinct from thos'
! of the anthrax produced by the moi
NAL bacillus.
The normal anthrax microbe liQue
fies gelatin, curdles milk and take
+ definite stains. The filamentous form
2 does not liquefy gelatin. curdle mill
!. or take the same stains, and 1t Pre-
duces an infection different from tn
anthrax on incubation. This form n
. NAMED absolutely fixed and stable al
. er a daily subculture for more thai
eighty days; but though stable in tn
incubator after passage through q
: animal, coccoid forms taking stat
J. similar to normal anthrax bacteria Al
. peared and. after subculture in brotl
= certain number Of bacillary form
/. approximating the typical anthra
: were obtained.
Q Inasmuch as all the above point
9 clearly to the fact that diseases ar
q only relative conditions, we shout
n carefully refrain from dogmatism.
q letter. and asked. a. q friend migl
J. ask another: ITO whom do you write!
J, ITO my mother" was the soldiers r
It ply. All! Give the letter to me-" sal
e the king. Il will see it posted And I
, he did. Indeed. 1t is not the first tim
q that he has done SO, for he calls b
E. troops comrades" and he means VIII,
, he says.-Dundee Advertiser.
Ii Literary Note.