UTILIZATION OF ANTIBIOTICS 



121 



8. Light has Ijcen thrown on nunierou.s 

 other .scientific prol)lems through the chs- 

 covery of the potent iahte.s of antibiotics. 

 Such advances inchide the extensive use of 

 tissue cultures in biology, a l)ottei' under- 

 standing of the structure of the bacterial 

 cell, a clearer picture of superinfections and 

 of other problems in the field of medical 

 research. 



It is belie^'ed by some that the de\'elop- 

 ment of resistance to antil)iotics suggests 

 their i-educed usefulness and gradual elimi- 

 nation. Xew antibiotics are introduced, onl}^ 

 to be followed by the development of I'esist- 

 ance to these as well. The pessimistic prophet 



tends to see in this the end of the antiljiotic 

 era. The optimist, however, is greatly 

 heartened by the progress already made. 

 He foresees the complete elimination of 

 tuliei'culosis as the great enemy of man. He 

 looks forward to the complete control of 

 children's diseases. Such infections as un- 

 dulant fever, typhoid, dysentery, cholera, 

 plague, and even leprosy no longer hold for 

 him the threat that they did before the 

 advent of the antilnotics. He even looks 

 forward to the ultimate control of such dis- 

 eases as cancer, those caused by A^iruses, and 

 possiljly others. How soon this may come 

 about, onlv the futui-e will fell. 



