PART TEN 



LOWER PLANTS, DISEASES, AND 

 MEDICINE 



Dangers from lions, automobiles, and icebergs are easier 

 to avoid than the perils of bacteria, molds, and viruses be- 

 cause of the larger size of the former. Not only have the lower 

 plants been a scourge to man for centuries but they have 

 taken a heavy toll of his livestock and of his food plants. 



Some of the well-known diseases caused by the inhabi- 

 tants of the microscopic world are tuberculosis, leprosy, ty- 

 phoid, Rocky Mountain spotted and yellow fever, bubonic 

 plague, venereal diseases, and sleeping sickness. Strangely 

 enough, although many people have died from these diseases, 

 other uncounted thousands have been saved from death by 

 the antibiotics prepared from molds, for example, penicillin. 



Who has not heard of wheat rust, corn smut, potato 

 blight, and cucumber wilt? These diseases affect our food sup- 

 ply. The work of the Doctors of Medicine, the Veterinarians, 

 and the Doctors of Philosophy (Plant Pathologists) cannot be 

 lauded too highly in the constant struggle against disease and 

 death. 



For more papers in this interesting area, read Milestones 

 in Microbiology by Thomas Brock. 



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