GERMS. 53 



ice none exist, while in arctic regions and at sea far 

 from land their numbers are very few. 



William F. Waugh, A. M. M. D., that well known 

 medical author, says in his Treatment of the Sick, page 

 331: "During my service as medical inspector of the 

 Philadelphia Board of Health I had opportunity of 

 noticing the environment of many cases of infectious 

 diseases, and in every case the severity depended on 

 the hygienic conditions. Offensive cesspools leaking 

 into cellars, filth in yard, alley, gutter or street were 

 the very obvious cause of malignancy." He says, ff ln 

 every case of infectious disease the severity depended 

 upon the hygienic conditions." 



Could words be plainer ? Do germs cause malignant 

 disease ? Or is the system overcome by unhealthy con- 

 ditions, both external and internal? 



Some bacteriologists claim that malignant disease is 

 caused by mixed infection; i. e., instead of one germ 

 there are two or more varieties present in the system. 

 Yet the reader should remember that dead and dying 

 tissue always contains a variety of germs. 



An animal dies out in the field. Are all the various 

 species of flies and other insects obliged to stand back 

 and look on because a certain bug has chosen the dead 

 body for its field of operation? No, but every species 

 of animal life that can creep, crawl, walk, run or fly; 

 every insect or other minute life that floats through 

 the air, makes haste to occupy a position on the dead 

 body and enjoy the feast. So, also, when disease de- 

 stroys tissue in the human system. The man with 

 the microscope may find more than one kind of germ, 



