134 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [.f 



mii\ 



stroyer. This deadly and fearful scourge has been destroyed by the 

 growth on the surface of the human body of a micro-organism found 

 in the vaccine virus. During the two hundred and twenty (320) years 

 that have elapsed since Jenner's discovery, how many millions upon 

 millions of men upon this earth have been vaccinated, and with pre- 

 cisely the same result ! Has the micro-organism of the vaccine virus 

 changed its appearance during that time, or altered in its power for 

 good ? Not a particle. 



We plant this germ in the arm of a child, and on the third or fourtli 

 day we see on the place a vesicle (or little blister) arise filled with a 

 clear, watery fluid, this afterwards becomes milky and then yellow in 

 color ; coincident with this, the vesicle or pustule becomes changed in 

 shape, it becomes what is called umbilicated, or depressed in the centre 

 of its upper surface. These special changes in shape and growth dis- 

 tinguish the vaccine pustule from an ordinary pimple or sore. Every 

 case of vaccination with pure vaccine virus passes through this life-his- 

 tory just as perfectly as it did in the days of Jenner, and, so far as we 

 can judge from the past, will do so till the end of time. 



But we can go still farther back in tim.e for illustrations of the perpe- 

 tuity of micro-organisms. Early in the world's history some of the 

 earlier races of mankind were in the habit of performing a rough 

 method of trephining by scraping with the sharpened edges of shells 

 or flints the skulls of certain persons. These skulls show attempts at 

 repair, and also in some a carious or necrosed condition of the sur- 

 rounding bones ; in others, bones of the body have been fractured and 

 repaired in just the same way as if the injuries had been inflicted in 

 our day. 



As the same phenomena attended the injuries and repair of these 

 skulls and other bones as are found to-day, is it not logical to assume 

 the existence at that remote period of the same micro-organisms that 

 cause these conditions now ? But we can go still farther back in this 

 matter ; some of the earlier remains of fossil fishes show injuries of 

 bones with repair, and can we not fairly make the same assumption for 

 them ? If this be indeed so, it would make the life-history of some 

 micro-organisms so ancient as to render the time that man has lived 

 upon the earth insignificant by comparison. 



To recapitulate, the following statements seem to be true : 



1. Micro-organisms have their life- hi story and morphological char- 

 acteristics just as definitely as the higher organisms. 



2. Micro-organisms retain their individuality of species, and do not 

 change into each other. 



If the above statements shall prove to be true, they seem to be in- 

 compatible with the truth of the theory of evolution. 



_ o 



Sterilization of Water by the Chamberland Filter. — M. L. 

 Dor finds, as the result of several experiments, that Chamberland's filter 

 may be confidently relied on for removing bacteria, for by means of it 

 the author has succeeded in rendering the water perfectly free from 

 germs. — Lyon Medical. 



Respiration of Entozoic Worms. — Herr G. Bunge has found 

 that various species of Ascaris will live from two to seven days in 

 a medium entirely free from oxygen. — Rev. Biol, du Nord de la 

 France, 



