The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1916-11-09
CHANCES IN BACTERIA AND DIS.
EASE.
BY ALBERT s. GRAY. NJ. d.

EASE.
The universal property OF irritable
ny. which In simply the power to re-
spond TO stimuli. makes all organisms
the result OF the interaetion 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 ransmitted 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 differ
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 blank
phonograph 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 final
result. or the individual. must be the
product OF these two sets of factors
and In exact accordance with the quail
ity and capacity of the disk. the hard
ness or softness OF the needle and the
amount of power behind II.
The same principle applies through
out the universe.
The continuation OF any type de-
ponds on maintaining all the factors
within q certain scale; obviously. then.
if either OF tho sets OF factors be
altered the resulting organism will be
changed and what are known as varia-
tons will occur These facts have en-
abled man TO develop many useful and
valuable types OF plant and animal
Since the germs OF disease are liv-
Ing organisms they also must be sub
tect 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
% time. 90 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 Il does not do. Revis has
obtained varieties OF the bacillus coll
structurally and physiologically differ-
ent from the parent by prolonged cui-
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
thracis. gives rise to an infectious and
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. q disease generally
known as splenic fever. Man occa
sionally contracts the disease by In
oculation from the animal. Carbuncie
malignant pustule and wool sorters
disease are caused by the anthrax bac
terra. The normal bacterium is ionl
rod chapel micro-organism havint
marked and characteristic reactions
Mime. Henri has modified the organism
with the ultraviolet light The meth
Cd employed was to expose an aQueou
(watsr) suspension Of anthrax spore
In \ quartz tube to ultra violet radis
lions for times varying from one .
forty minutes and afterward growin
cultures from these mixtures.
The majority OF the organisms wer
Killed by this treatment because tn
ultraviolet rays were markedly ba<
tsricidal. but . few survived ana ~
cordfng to the conditions and IN
length Of the exposure the bacillus III
derwent notifications and shove
characteristics decidedly different fro'
the typical anthrax bacillus. In
principal OF these were coccoid Tori
ana q thin flamentous form. Thea
two forms constitute two new type
which Nine. Henri has isolated. an
they remain stable for about tnre
months. They produce anthrax wnic
he characteristics distinct from thos
q the ANTHRAX produced BY the no
nal bacillua
TIE normal anthrax microoe nQu
nos gelatin, curdleo milk ana sak'
Ae0nits stains- The nlamentous nor
aoos not liquefy ge1atins ourdie MI
q take the same stAinss ana m pr
auess IN infection different nom u
anthrax on inoculation- This form
NAMED absolutely nxed and stable q
= Z daily sales.--future for more oa
siehty days; but though stable n q
incubator afeer passage through
animal coocoid forms taking . -
oanilar - normal anthrax bacteria {
poossA anl. aftar subculture b eroe
q ongtain numbsr Of baciIlasy ~
ooDponimaffng the typical ensAr
Vog0 obtained
Inasmuch - all the above pm
clearly . the fact that 61seoooe z
only relative conditions ~ -
eaysfully refrain hon doennns