444 FOODS 



are taken in whooping cough or grippe, or ordinary " cold/ 5 

 the infection will not be spread. 



As we said before, the fight put up by the white cor- 

 puscles is not the only fight the body makes against bac- 

 teria and their activities. When disease bacteria get es- 

 tablished in the system, they secrete a poison called toxin, 

 which is absorbed by the blood and carried throughout 

 the body, thus poisoning many other parts beside those im- 

 mediately attacked by the bacteria. The cells of the body 

 at once begin to secrete a substance to counteract this 

 poison, an antitoxin. If the vitality of the patient is great 

 enough, sufficient antitoxin will be secreted to neutralize 

 the effect of the toxin and the disease will be overcome. 



Of late years it has been found that these antitoxins 

 can be artificially supplied or caused to develop. Thus 

 the system may be aided in neutralizing the effect of the 

 toxin, and in warding off the disease. By injecting these 

 antitoxins or stimulating their development, people are now 

 protected against smallpox, diphtheria, and other diseases. 

 So carefully are these preparations made at present that 

 if proper care is taken in their injection, there is almost 

 never any ill effect from their use. 



How to Disinfect. Most bacteria thrive best at a mod- 

 erate temperature (70 to 95 F.). Almost all of them are 

 killed if kept at a boiling temperature for a short time. 

 They cannot grow where there is no moisture, and all but 

 a few kinds are killed by complete drying. Direct sunlight 

 is soon fatal to them. 



For disinfecting wounds, iodine or a dilute solution of 

 carbolic acid or lysol serves well. (These must not be taken 

 internally.) Hydrogen peroxide is a good external cleanser 



