The Washington times., 1918-10-06

~-B T1"eg NeoBDA
of Communicating the Infection.
In no "smears' of these bacteria were
there any Of the weIl-known Pfeiffer bacilli
OF influenza or any double cocci Of pneu-
monia.
The newly discovered germ has charac-
teristics peculiarly its own. These are de-
seribed in technical reports in the London
Lancet for July and the British Medical
Journal for August 10, 1918.
As rule there are so many bacteria that
are specifically at first glance exactly
alike that a mere inspection of them un-
dyed or unstained under the microscope
without planting them in various small test
tubes OF different soils would fool even ex-
perts into believing that they are similar
and identifiable.
On this account Il Is that bacteriologists
must use a great many other tests to con-
vince themselves and their skeptical con-
freres and enemies that they have a new
and a different germ.
II is done in this way. When they find
and isolate a bacterium and under the
microscope II resembles even when
stained blue or otherwise dyed the diplo-
cocci Of pneumonia or meningitis-both Of
which also look alike-they put iodine on
its'tail," as 1t we're. II it takes" It il thus
differentiated into one of two groups which
take or do not take iodine.
Then It is planted in gelatine. 1t either
grows and melts the gelatine or It does
not. Thus another group Is found.
Then potato, moss, agar. banana, blood
serum and other soils are used-until
whole series of facts are found about
germ which show It to be different from all
hitherto discovered ones
Thus il is with the new germ. The med
ical gentlemen determined that 1t has
none of the earmarks Of any bacillus that
has ever been brought into captivity"
This bacillus we have found grows with
extreme reluctance upon the various
"media" or fields on which most other
micro-organisms thrive. 1t bankers after
blood. II thrives and grows best on blood
serum media, although 1t does not grow
In the human blood.
There is a luxuriant, rich, abundant
sproutIng of the malicious bacillus In this
serum soil, which explains why Spanish In
fiuenza clings so tensciously to the lips,
the tongue, the mouth and the gums Of its
victims and fits carriers"
The physicians and scientists Of the
Allied countries are seriously considering
whether or not the germs Of this disease
have been Intentionally disseminated by
the German Government with the inten-
tion Of weakening their opponents. No
definite conclusion has been reached on
this point, but the charge canot be hastily
dismissed, as the German Government has
already been convicted OF employing dis
ease germs against civilians in Rumania.
The disease was first observed by army
doctors TO be raging in the German
trenches on the Flanders front in the wet
weather of last Spring. From the front
1t passed to the weakened interior popula-
tion of Germany with great severity. 1t
then broke out in Spain, and as the French
civilians first noticed its ravages there
they called it Spanish influenza. 1t is sig
nificant that intercourse between Germany
and Spain by U-boat and in other ways
has been particularly frequent From
these two centres it's worldwide spread
has started.
Copyright. 1918. by Star Compan,