12 MICROBES AXD HEALTH. 



knowledge of the histological anatomy of the flea, nor 

 is it necessary, for the bacteriologists, armed with their 

 test tubes, culture media, incubators and microscopes, 

 can tell us all about the proboscis suctorialous, aye 

 more, it was their penetrating eye and revolving brain 

 that first saw the elements of health in the secretions 

 of that long-whiskered animal so frequently mentioned 

 in the books of Moses, and who first breathed the words 

 Robert's Lymph. 



But to return to Doctor Wyman and his flea. The 

 doctor says one has but to reflect upon the vast amount 

 of research, thought and labor of which he is the ex- 

 ponent, and the misery, disaster and death which would 

 otherwise follow, to appreciate the value of bacteriology. 



Fearing the reader may not fully understand or ap- 

 preciate the claims of bacteriology, let us quote Doctor 

 Wyman again. He says fleas first distribute disease 

 among rats, and the rats convey the disease to man. 



Is it plain now? 



Or is it still a mystery, how capable men like Doctor 

 AVyman and other bacteriologists can spend their time 

 among fleas, rats, guinea pigs, test tubes and other 

 appliances utterly worthless in the diagnosis or treat- 

 ment of disease ? 



In his rational treatment of disease, fifteenth edition, 

 page 4-5, the well known Charles Marchand, chemist 

 of New York City, says: 



"It is, perhaps, to be deplored that all later investi- 

 gations seem to have thrown some doubt on the value 

 of positive testimony in bacteriology. Most physicians 

 had come to accept the conclusions that if after making 



