The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1914-07-03
copyright. 1914. by A. S. Gray)
BACTERIA.

More than 100000 inhabitants OF
the United States die prematurely
each year" The department OF con-
servation OF one Of our great life In
surance companies and other equally
competent and reliable investigators
are authority for that statement.
For each death recorded there is
known to be vast amount Of suffer
ing and expense which might easily be
avoided, and 1t is believed by compe-
tent investigators including the Ma
tional Conservation Commission that
at least fifteen years could be added to
the average life Of the present genera
ton IL a sane system of personal
hygiene were generally adopted
Scientists have decided that bac-
terra belong to the plant kingdom, and
the microscope reveals another and
formerly unseen bacterial world OF
vast extent and Of far reaching con.
sequence to the human race. Under
the microscope moses and molds be-
come forests of giant trees, while the
smallest plants SO seen are the bac-
terra. The unit OF measurement In
dealing with these small plants Is the
michon, .001 millimeter, or approx
mately $4,000 inch.
At some period in universal develop.
ment certain species Of these small
plants learned to live within the
bodies of animals and of men and we
have as result what we call the In.
fictitious diseases known to us as tuber-
culosis. pneumonia, diphtheria, typhoid
fever, measles, scarlet fever and the
like. The plant or bacteria causing
typhoid fever for instance averages
about 1-14,000 inch long by between
$4,000 to 100000 inch wide.
Like the larger varieties of the plant
kingdom these minute plants are good
or bad, poisonous or non.poisonous ac-
cording to the species and the environ
ment, and that is the reason specific
human diseases exhibit such an in
finite variety of symptoms; for as the
environment differs In each individual
infected 80 must the reactions. Hence
every man makes his own disease.
When soed,sy becomes efficiently or
ganized so Sfat 1t will be possible to
consider human ailments on the same
broad impersonal basis we do diseases
OF plants and animals, undoubtedly
most Of our now numerous diseases
will be found to have common origin
and to be easily preventable.
To illustrate the point-a group Of
men exposed to a swirl OF street dust
composed of finely ground horse ma.
nure and other decomposing animal
and vegetable refuse will develop
colds" sore threats or pneumonia.
depending ON the reaction of the indi.
vidual to the contained bacteria. Every
individual life makes Its own disease.
These tiny plantssincrease and grow
only under favorable environmental
conditions of moisture. heat and food.
but under such favorable conditions
single bacterium may easily become
the parent of 100000 within twenty
four hours. Those bacteria that have
acquired the ability to live within the
body of man have been 80 modified by
that environment that they have lost
the ability to live independently out
side the human body for any great
length of time. Like all parasites they
are unable to stand alone and quickly
die II thrown on their own resources.
The conditions favorable to bacterial
life and growth are filth, dampness,
warmth and absence of light. What
we commonly designate as filth Is. of
course. only matter in the wrong place.
The conditions detrimental and fatal
to bacterial life are cleanliness, dry.
ness, cold and light.
Bacteria are not hereditary but are
contagious, and the existence Of these
plants in the human race is continued
from one person to another only be-
cause certain men in whom they have
found Judgment transfer them to
other men or animals receptive at the
time because their bodies have been
modified by environment, their con.
stituent matter Is In the wrong place or
combination. and they are technically
unclean. a condition commonly known
as one of low vitality.
1t is estimated there are now in the
United States approximately $4,000
persons infected with typhoid fever
germs who although in apparent per-
feet physical health are discharging
these bacteria In enormous numbers
every day. The same fact is true Of
diphtheria and Of other infectious dis.
eases, and 1t is in this way that dis
ease ia carried from one person to an
other. Typhoid fever for instance will
vanish as a human disease only when
ZEN cease to eat or drink human and
himal excreta In any form. And the
same principle applies to all diseases.
There is but one sound and success.
ful method Of combating diseases and
that is by prevention. To waste val
III