PROBLEM 2. Hoiv We Can Conquer Some Diseases 



333 



Fig. 301 Colonies of one of the molds that produce penicillin. Conmtercially the 

 mold is cultured in huge vats or tanks, (press association inc.) 



born child. The death of some babies 

 before or after birth is caused by syphi- 

 h"s in the mother. For this reason, many 

 of our states require a doctor's statement 

 certifying freedom from syphiHs before 

 issuing a marriage hcense. The Wasser- 

 mann test for detecting syphiHs is a simple 

 test. In states that require no certificate 

 many people have themselves tested and, 

 if necessary, treated when marriage is 

 contemplated. 



Gonorrhea (gon-o-ree'ah) is the sec- 

 ond of the venereal (ven-ee'ree-al) dis- 

 eases, that is, diseases spread commonly 

 through the sex organs. Blindness in 

 babies is one of the dangers of gonorrhea. 



The sulfa drugs. In 1932 a patent was 

 issued in Germany on a chemical pro- 

 duced in the laboratory and used with 

 almost magic effect on the deadly strep- 

 tococcus germ. Although the German 



scientists kept the chemical composition 

 a secret, French scientists almost imme- 

 diately learned the composition of the 

 substance that brought about the mirac- 

 ulous cures. It was siiljanilainide. One 

 after another, other sulja cojnpojmds, 

 such as sulfadiazine, sulfapyridine, and 

 sulfathiazole, were developed. The sulfa 

 drugs were discovered just in time to 

 save countless lives. During World War 

 II less than 4 per cent of wounds became 

 infected. During World War I the per- 

 centage was much higher. In earlier wars 

 infection was almost the rule. 



The sulfa drugs are far better than or- 

 dinary antiseptics in treating wounds. 

 Antiseptics which are effective against 

 bacteria are more or less injurious to the 

 neighboring tissue cells. This is not true 

 of sulfa drugs, which prevent the growth 

 of bacteria or kill them probably by 



