56 MICROBES AND HEALTH. 



suddenly and unexpectedly attack the corpuscles, and 

 with the advantage thus gained, may succeed in killing 

 them. The germs are now at liberty to produce dis- 

 ease wherever they may be, and that is the reason peo- 

 ple have rheumatism, consumption and other diseases 

 in different parts of the body; in the ankle, knee, hip 

 or shoulder joint; consumption of the brain, inflamma- 

 tion of the spinal cord, etc. Such a theory is a great 

 detriment to the young doctors who are turned out to 

 experiment upon human life. 



Following is the cause for an occasional increase in 

 the white corpuscles: The white corpuscles increase 

 at certain times because the nerves which supply the 

 glands or tissues producing them are stimulated; such 

 stimulation being the result of certain irritating sub- 

 stances or poisons generated in the system. Some 

 kinds of poisons stimulate this system of nerves and 

 some do not. The same is true of poisons that are 

 used in medicine. Some stimulate certain nerves and 

 some do not. Digitalis stimulates the nerves that con- 

 trol the size of the blood-vessels, and the vessels con- 

 tract. Belladonna paralyzes these nerves and the ves- 

 sels dilate. Strychnine stimulates the nerves which 

 supply the muscles, and if enough is given some muscles 

 may escape the control of the individual, and the arms 

 and feet fly in all directions, or the spasm may include 

 all the muscles at one time, and the body will become 

 rigid. Opium paralyzes these same nerves and the 

 system is completely relaxed. Atropin paralyzes the 

 nerves supplying the glands of the skin, mouth, throat 

 and other parts of the body, and they fail to act. 



