CHAPTER VIII. 



BACTERIA AND TYPHOID FEVER. 



TYPHOID fever is one of the serious and 

 common diseases, occurring among all 

 classes of people, which is definitely known to 

 be caused by bacteria. The germs causing 

 this disease are little rods or bacilli considera- 

 bly larger than those which cause tuberculosis. 



There are several forms of low fever, and 

 some other diseases due to various causes, 

 which considerably resemble typhoid fever, and 

 are not infrequently mistaken for it. But genu- 

 ine typhoid fever is caused by this particular 

 germ, and no other, and is never caused in 

 any other way. 



This typhoid bacillus is not known to grow 

 outside the body, to any considerable extent 

 at least, except when artificially cultivated by 

 the biologist for purposes of study. But it 

 may remain alive for a good while outside the 

 body in water or under other conditions. 



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