312 OUR BODIES AND HOW WE LIVE 



blood of the products of putrefaction is known as septicaemia, 

 or commonly, "blood poisoning." This may result from 

 the use of polluted instruments, hands soiled in treating 

 wounds, gunshot injuries, and from many other causes. 



426. Warfare between Bacteria and the Living Cells of 

 the Body. Now, it is very evident that the body must be 



* M a ^ e to defend itself against the myr- 



ISfif \& iads of invisible foes which assail 

 V / &r*Ji> its life at every moment. Otherwise 



*p* "i&Jfa* a/' 



t i JM*w^ we s ^ ou ^ fall an easy prey to the 



**^* germs of disease. As a matter of 



FIG. 198. Spiral Form of f act> t h er e is unceasing warfare be- 



Bacteria found in Cholera. ,11 1^1- 



tween the bacteria and their toxins 



Magnified about 1000 diameters. . 



and the living cells ot the body. 



The white blood corpuscles appear to be the warrior cells 

 that fight the battle. A poison of another type, called 

 antitoxin, is formed in the serum of the blood, which may 

 antagonize the toxins and destroy their poisonous action. 1 



DISEASES THAT SPREAD AND DISINFECTANTS 



427. How Disease may be prevented and restricted. Two 



of nature's most efficient safeguards in preventing and 

 restricting disease are pure air and pure water. Cleanliness, 

 proper clothing, wholesome food, and physical exercise all 

 play an important part in keeping the body in sound health. 



1 Within the past few years remarkable progress has been made by 

 tireless scientific workers in their efforts to modify the action of disease- 

 producing bacteria. For instance, the toxins of diphtheria germs are 

 injected into the blood of a horse. In due time the antitoxin of the 

 disease is removed from the serum of the infected blood, and after proper 

 preparation is injected into the blood of a person exposed to or suffering 

 from diphtheria. The effect is to modify decidedly the action of the 

 poisonous germs of this dread disease. 



