38 MICROBES AND IlKALTH. 



the atmosphere will defy him and germs enter the 

 wound just the same. While it is true that cleanli- 

 ness is necessary within the bounds of reason and com- 

 mon sense, it is also true that there is nothing more 

 silly than scrubbing with chemicals, acids and alkalies, 

 boiling bandages, instruments, appliances, etc. This 

 practice is carried to such extremes in some cases that 

 the operator becomes an object of pity. 



The question may be asked, if germs do not cause 

 disease why use antiseptics? Animal tissue contains 

 oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, sulphur, phosphorus, hydro- 

 gen, etc., and after death the fermentation or change 

 produced by germ action separates these elements and 

 the oxygen unites with the carbon to form carbonic 

 acid, while the hydrogen divides itself between the 

 nitrogen, sulphur and phosphorus and forms ammonia 

 with sulphurated and phosphurated Irydrogen. These 

 gases give offensive odor. These substances are irri- 

 tating. Such irritating matter always results from 

 decomposing animal tissue, and is injurious to the sur- 

 rounding structures. A purulent or unhealthy wound 

 contains these organic poisons, corrosive substances and 

 poisonous gases, and it is these acrid substances that 

 are dangerous. Antiseptics are valuable because they 

 .-antagonize the action of this decomposing matter, and 

 thus reinforce healthy tissue and bring about whole- 

 some influences to the structures that are yet sound. 



With the disappearance of the dead and dying tissue 

 the germs disappear also, not because the antiseptics 

 have destroyed them, but because their food supply or 

 nourishment is gone and they cannot live in healthy 



