36 MICROBES AXD HEALTH. 



of gentlemen sometimes known as traveling doctors. 

 When asked to explain the cause of disease they con- 

 found their hearers with high-sounding words. Many 

 who listen do not understand their meaning, but they 

 suppose any one capable of using such language must 

 be very smart. Their explanation of disease runs some- 

 thing like this : 



"The only legitimate manner of accounting for this 

 very rare disease is the physiological defect in the mem- 

 branous system; the obtuseness of the abdominal ab- 

 dicator causes the cartilaginous compressor to coagu- 

 late into the diaphragm., and this depresses the duode- 

 num into the flandango. Now, if the disease were 

 caused by the vogatum of the electricity from the ex- 

 tremities, the tympanum would also dissolve into the 

 spiritual sinctum, and the olfactory ossificator would 

 ferment and become identical with the pigmentum. 

 But as this is not the case, in order to produce this 

 disease the spinal rotundum must be elevated down to 

 the spiritual spero, and as I said before, in order to 

 produce this very rare disease, the inferior ligaments 

 must subtend over the digitorum sufficient to disorgan- 

 ize the stericoletum." 



Some people believe bacteriology is a powerful aid 

 in preventing as well as curing disease. Let us in- 

 quire what the germ-specialists are doing for diseased 

 humanity any way? Have they helped mankind to 

 fight disease? Have they conquered the germ? I? 

 disease less malignant? 



For twenty-five years bacteriologists have been rais- 

 ing germs in little glass tubes, and after they had them 



