DISEASE GERMS 81 



exclusion of air favors the growth of the tetanus ba- 

 cillus. Its characteristic spore at one end of the rod 

 has given it the name of the "drum stick" bacillus. 



In general it may be concisely stated that infection 

 comes through inhaled dust and that "Food and fingers 

 are the carriers of contagion," as Dr. William T. 

 Sedgwick has so often proved. 



The disease bacteria effect their dread results in 

 various ways ; sometimes the tissues are actually de- 

 stroyed, as in tuberculosis, but in most cases the prod- 

 ucts of the life growth of the germs cause the disease. 

 These products are poisons which are known under the 

 general name of toxines. 



Whether in the future the germ theory will be found 

 to explain all diseases we may not now say, but indi- 

 cations point that way. The latest "discovery of the 

 germ of smallpox," if established, is a stimulus to 

 increased efforts along such lines. Animal and vege- 

 table forms are both proved guilty ' before the bar of 

 the scientific investigator. 



The germ of typhoid fever grows well in milk. 

 The germ may enter the milk as dry dust from any 

 one of many contaminated sources, or through water 

 in which the milk-containing vessels are washed. In 

 cases of dishonest milkmen, from the water used to 

 dilute the milk. Numerous epidemics of typhoid fever 

 have been traced to milk as their source, where only 

 those using milk from one farm or from a certain 

 milkman have been affected. 



