50 MICROBES AND THE MICROBE-KILLER. 



could not be done. So I had to find out myself a way 

 in which to photograph microbes. The results of my 

 long investigations in this line are shown in the illustra- 

 tion in this book. I have proven that it can be done, 

 and successfully done too. 



But to return to my antiseptic gas. I have shown 

 that my success did not come at once. In fact, the fail- 

 ures were so frequent and numerous that, had it not 

 been a question of life or death with me, the discovery 

 would never have been made. So I put all my energies 

 into it and persevered, with the result that at last I had 

 in my possession the means of killing microbes that had 

 all the requirements I had specified. I found a combina- 

 tion which was perfectly harmless to the person taking 

 it, and which kills microbes with certainty ; also one 

 which is quite different from anything hitherto num- 

 bered among curative agents. I tested it fully and as- 

 sured myself of its properties and powers. 



I tried it upon myself, and the effects became appa- 

 rent almost immediately. I increased the dose gradually 

 until I found how much best suited me ; then I perse- 

 vered, and the effects showed themselves promptly. 

 Peculiar sensations were felt all over me, but especially 

 in the most afflicted regions, as though the microbes 

 were shifting about my body, but there w^ere no bad 

 effects whatever. My stomach became clean, fermenta- 

 tion ceased, my appetite improved, and digestion was 

 good. I increased the dose from three to six wineglass- 

 fuls a day, and grew weaker. My energies failed me 

 and I became depressed. Consequently I stopped taking 

 the microbe-killer for a few days till my stomach re- 

 covered itself, and then I renewed the treatment, but 

 regulated the doses by my feelings. For a long time I 

 felt very ill, some days being worse than others, but this 

 was readily accounted for by the low and weak condi- 

 tion to which I had been reduced, and my state of ner- 

 vous depression was extreme. The microbes that were 

 in my body probably did not like the treatment, and 

 they seemed to be constantly moving about. But I 



