The Story of Germ LifeConn, H. W. (Herbert William)
Science
The Story of Germ Life
Conn, H. W. (Herbert William)
Bacteria; Bacteriology
But why should not a germ disease be always fatal? If the bacteria
thus take possession of the body and can grow there, why do they
not always continue to multiply until they produce sufficient
poison to destroy the life of the individual? Such fatal results
do, of course, occur, but in by far the larger proportion of cases
recovery finally takes place.
Plainly, the body must have another set of resisting forces which
is concerned in the final recovery. Although weakened by the
poisoning and suffering from the disease, it does not yield the
battle, but somewhat slowly organizes a new attack upon the
invaders. For a time the multiplying bacteria have an unimpeded
course and grow rapidly; but finally their further increase is
checked, their vigour impaired, and after this they diminish in
numbers and are finally expelled from the body entirely. Of the
nature of this new resistance but little is yet known. We notice,
in the first place, that commonly after such a recovery the
individual has decidedly increased resistance to the disease. This
increased resistance may be very lasting, and may be so
considerable as to give almost complete immunity from the disease
for many years, or for life. One attack of scarlet fever gives the
individual great immunity for the future. On the other hand, the
resistance thus derived may be very temporary, as in the case of
diphtheria. But a certain amount of resistance appears to be
always acquired. This power of resisting the activities of the
parasites seems to be increased during the progress of the
disease, and, if it becomes sufficient, it finally drives off the
bacteria before they have produced death. After this, recovery
takes place. To what this newly acquired resisting power is due is
by no means clear to bacteriologists, although certain factors
are already known. It appears beyond question that in the case of
certain diseases the cells of the body after a time produce
substances which serve as antidotes to the poisons produced by the
bacteria during their growth in the body-antitoxines. In the case
of diphtheria, for instance, the germs growing in the throat
produce poisons which are absorbed by the body and give rise to
the symptoms of the disease; but after a time the body cells
react, and themselves produce a counter toxic body which
neutralizes the poisonous effect of the diphtheria poison. This
substance has been isolated from the blood of animals that have
recovered from an attack of diphtheria, and has been called
diphtheria antitoxine. But even with this knowledge the recovery
is not fully explained. This antitoxine neutralizes the effects of
the diphtheria toxine, and then the body develops strength to
drive off the bacteria which have obtained lodgment in the throat.
How they accomplish this latter achievement we do not know as yet.
The antitoxme developed simply neutralizes the effects of the
toxine. Some other force must be at work to get rid of the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account