136 THE GERM THEORY OF DISEASE. 



if, indeed, the plant retained sufficient vitality to perform its 

 functions. The material for the formation of the waste 

 product must be present in the food, otherwise it cannot be 

 formed. Again, it may be that the remoleculization will 

 be different in foods of a different nature, even though the 

 elements be all present. Dr. Miller informs us that, in his 

 experiments, he has found that the bacterium lactis produced 

 no acid when grown in soup ; but when a little sugar or 

 starch was added, the lactic acid was promptly formed. He 

 gives us no intimation of the nature of the waste product of 

 this organism when grown in the soup not sweetened. This 

 however, serves to show how the waste product may be 

 changed, temporarily, by changes in the nature of the food. 

 That changes of this nature may occur in a large number of 

 the low forms of life seems not only plausible, but probable. 

 But that this will affect the nature of the organism perma- 

 nently, is another question; and one that will require much 

 experiment to prove satisfactorily. 



MANNER OF ACTION. 



How can these low organisms produce disease? This ques- 

 tion is being asked by many of the thinking men of the world 

 to-day. Men seem to be at a loss for a reasonable answer; 

 such an answer as will satisfy the mind that is earnestly seek- 

 ing an explanation of the phenomena described by such ex- 

 perimentalists as Koch and Pasteur. These men have not 

 answered it. They tell us what they have found ; that certain 

 phenomena invariably follow the introduction of certain germs 

 into the bodies of animals; that certain germs produce certain 

 diseases. How do they accomplish this? what is their modus 

 operandi? This question must have a reasonable answer be- 

 fore the germ theory of disease can find a firm basis in the 

 minds of the masses of men. The days of hocus-pocus have 



