442 FOODS 



man's efficient helpers. These disease-causing bacteria, how- 

 ever, may cause a vast amount of trouble. The microscopic 

 plants and animals that cause disease are commonly called 

 germs. 



Almost all disease germs get into the body through a 

 break in the skin Or through the mouth or nose. The skin 

 when unbroken is a splendid germ armor. When it is 

 broken, the bacteria have a chance to enter. In the ma- 

 jority of cases there are not enough hostile bacteria at hand 



to make serious trouble; but 

 there is always a chance of their 

 being present, and so all wounds 

 ought to be cleansed, disinfected 

 and dressed with absorbent 

 cotton, or some similar sub- 

 stance. We found in Experi- 

 ment 144 that absorbent cotton 

 kept the bacteria out. If wounds 

 are not given careful attention, 

 blood-poisoning, which is a bac- 



FIRST AID KIT -IT . o 



tenal disease, may set in. Some- 

 times when a rusty nail or other dirty substance breaks 

 through the skin, bacteria are carried into the flesh. If 

 such a wound is not properly disinfected and cared for, 

 lockjaw, another bacterial disease, may be developed. 



By getting into the body through the mouth or nose, 

 bacteria cause many other diseases. Among these are 

 influenza (grippe), diphtheria, pneumonia, whooping-cough, 

 typhoid fever, and tuberculosis. People having diseases of 

 these kinds throw off a great number of bacteria. If such 

 germs get into the bodies of other people, they may cause 

 the same diseases there. Disease germs usually do not 



