The Story of Germ LifeConn, H. W. (Herbert William)
Science
The Story of Germ Life
Conn, H. W. (Herbert William)
Bacteria; Bacteriology
The difficulty of giving such a list is rendered greater from the
fact that we have in recent years learned that the same species of
pathogenic bacterium may produce different results under different
conditions. When the subject of germ disease was first studied and
the connection between bacteria and disease was first
demonstrated, it was thought that each particular species of
pathogenic bacteria produced a single definite disease; and
conversely, each germ disease was supposed to have its own
definite species of bacterium as its cause. Recent study has
shown, however, that this is not wholly true. It is true that some
diseases do have such a definite relation to definite bacteria.
The anthrax germ, for example, will always produce anthrax, no
matter where or how it is inoculated into the body. So, also, in
quite a number of other cases distinct specific bacteria are
associated with distinct diseases. But, on the other hand, there
are some pathogenic bacteria which are not so definite in their
action, and produce different results in accordance with
circumstances, the effect varying both with the organ attacked and
with the condition of the individual. For instance, a considerable
number of different types of blood poisoning, septicaemia,
pyaemia, gangrene, inflammation of wounds, or formation of pus
from slight skin wounds--indeed, a host of miscellaneous troubles,
ranging all the way from a slight pus formation to a violent and
severe blood poisoning--all appear to be caused by bacteria, and
it is impossible to make out any definite species associated with
the different types of these troubles. There are three common
forms of so-called pus cocci, and these are found almost
indiscriminately with various types of inflammatory troubles.
Moreover, these species of bacteria are found with almost absolute
constancy in and around the body, even in health. They are on the
clothing, on the skin, in the mouth and alimentary canal. Here
they exist, commonly doing no harm. They have, however, the power
of doing injury if by chance they get into wounds. But their power
of doing injury varies both with the condition of the individual
and with variations in the bacteria themselves. If the individual
is in a good condition of health these bacteria have little power
of injuring him even when they do get into such wounds, while at
times of feeble vitality they may do much more injury, and take
the occasion of any little cut or bruise to enter under the skin
and give rise to inflammation and pus. Some people will develop
slight abscesses or slight inflammations whenever the skin is
bruised, while with others such bruises or cuts heal at once
without trouble. Both are doubtless subject to the same chance of
infection, but the one resists, while the other does not. In
common parlance, we say that such a tendency to abscesses
indicates a bad condition of the blood--a phrase which means
nothing. Further, we find that the same species of bacterium may
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