310 OUR BODIES AND HOW WE LIVE 



The harmful results produced by bacteria vary greatly 

 in kind and severity. Thus, the germs of consumption 

 may take years to cause fatal results, while those of Asiatic 

 cholera, malignant pustule, and diphtheria may destroy life 

 within a few hours. 1 



425. How Bacteria may act in the Body. Bacteria act 

 in the body in a twofold way. 



First, the germs themselves multiply in the body with incred- 

 ible rapidity. 



Second, the products of bacteria, or their toxins, as they are 

 called, may act their part and bring about a condition of poisoning. 



Thus, the typhoid bacilli, contained in drinking water pol- 

 luted with wastes from the bodies of those who have had 

 typhoid fever, may multiply in the body for two weeks or 

 more (during what is called the "period of incubation"), 

 but at the end of a limited time the typhoid toxins assert 

 themselves and symptoms of disease appear. The toxins 



of bacteria may enter the gen- 

 eral blood current and poison 

 the entire system. 



The form of poisoning result- 

 FIG. 196. Bacilli, or Rod-Shaped i n g f rO m the presence in the 



Bacteria. 

 Magnified about 1000 diameters. 1 ^ ^^ relationship between 



From a culture obtained in anthrax, the diseases from which man su ff er s 

 or malignant pustule, of the face. and thoge tQ wMch ^^ ^ ^ Ue 

 Diseased hides carry this micro- . _ , . ~ , 



organism and thus may occasion 1S interesting and important. Cats, 

 this fatal disease among those who rabbits, and dogs, as well as children, 

 handle hides and wool. suffer from diphtheria and scarlet fever. 



Animals may acquire these diseases 



from sick children and in turn transmit them to healthy children. Both 



man and the lower animals suffer from tuberculosis. 



Among the diseases belonging especially to animals, but which may 



also be contracted by men, are hydrophobia, anthrax or malignant pustule, 



glanders, and foot-and-mouth disease. 



