4 1 ' THE INVISIBLE WORLD 



crobes. If, on the other hand, they should be 

 found to be animals, they might just as properly be 

 called microbes. Or, if scientists should finally 

 discover, as a settled fact, that some of these in- 

 visible beings, whether friends or foes, are plants, 

 and others are animals, the term microbe would 

 still apply to them all with propriety. 



The new word took with the French assembly, 

 and acted as the olive branch of peace to their con- 

 tention. Both parties seemed willing to give up, 

 each its party name, and in its place to accept the 

 new term with its broader meaning. 



Since that time this new word has gone over the 

 world, appears in all the dictionaries since pub- 

 lished or revised, and is now used everywhere in 

 common conversation. 



It is true that the word bacteria is generally 

 used to denote not only the pathogenic or disease- 

 producing germs, but also almost an infinite multi- 

 tude of similar germs inhabiting the air, the water, 

 the soil, and which may be friendly or otherwise to 

 man. But this word directly signifies plants, and 

 plants only. To apply this word to animal germs 

 would be improper. 



Yet it is well known that a number of the dis- 

 ease-producing germs are animals. The germ that 

 is the active cause of malarial fever is an animal. 

 The germ that causes the yellow fever is an animal. 

 The sleeping sickness of Africa, which is so terribly 

 destructive, is caused by an animal germ. The 

 germs which produce the dysentery and syphilis 



