18 MICROBES AND THE MICROBE-KILLER. 



velop into the more active micro-organisms. A florist 

 takes his cuttings only from healthy plants, because he 

 well knows that, if he did not, either the cuttings would 

 perish through lack of vitality, or they would produce 

 diseased plants like those from which they were derived, 

 and his trouble and care in raising them must be in- 

 creased. Moreover, he perpetuates a disease by neglect- 

 ing this precaution, and it may be conveyed to others, 

 whereas his first consideration necessarily is to have all 

 his floral family as free as possible from every deteriorat- 

 ing influence. I have frequently noticed that when rose 

 cuttings are touched with even the smallest particle of 

 black rust or other fungus they are certain to cause 

 trouble, the rapidity with which the disease is spread 

 being very remarkable, and it is difficult to stop it, still 

 less to eradicate it. The same applies to the animal 

 world, with only this distinction, as a rule, that plants 

 suffer from fungi peculiar to plants, while animals 

 perish from microbes peculiar to animals. In the many 

 instances already adverted to — as, for example, in affec- 

 tions of the alimentary canal, where disease is caused by 

 the imbibition of unwholesome frnit or vegetables— a 

 process of fermentation is first set up, which in turn 

 produces a special abnormal condition. 



Disease is constantly being perpetuated by too close 

 intermarriages, which result in the production of dis- 

 eased children, who thus convey the weakness onward 

 through generations, in all of which the bacillus, mi- 

 crobe, disease germ, or micro-organism is performing its 

 special function, debilitating the mind, deforming the 

 body, disorganizing the tissues, destroying the ener- 

 gies, lowering the standard of the race, and bringing 

 death. 



I may here remind the reader of the passage in 

 Scripture where punishment to the third and fourth 

 generation is promised to those who by forbidden in- 

 termarriages promote disease, which they would do by 

 transference of disease germs. 



We often hear a great deal about affinity in its effect 



