66 The Story of the Bacteria 



tend to pass away of themselves after a longer 

 or shorter period, if they are not so severe as 

 to destroy life. Under these conditions the 

 duty of the physician may be only to aid 

 the body by food and air and proper regimen 

 in the work which it is doing itself. And so 

 through the long list of ills which come upon 

 the human frame from known or unknown 

 causes the wise physician guides and aids the 

 natural recuperative tendencies of the body 

 cells. 



Among all the varied changes in structure 

 and disturbance in activities of the body 

 which thus constitute disease there are, as we 

 have seen, several, and these most important 

 ones, which have recently been proven to be 

 caused by bacteria. To some of these we 

 must now turn our attention so as to learn how 

 the disturbances are brought about, and what 

 we may do for ourselves to avoid them. 



But before we enter the domain of the doc- 

 tors, let us devote a moment to their shib- 

 boleths, by which it may be known whether 

 we are of the elect or only dabblers. 



A disease which is incited by the entrance 



