THE BIOLOGY OF DAILY LIFE. 39 



I must refer the reader to Klein's own book, where 

 he will see that the author is, as far as regard to facts 

 will permit him, a strong advocate for the prosecution 

 (so to speak) of the microbes. The samples which I 

 give are then simply a few of the admissions of the 

 accusers of our microscopic brethren. 



If any microbe had been proved (by the sort of 

 evidence considered as conclusive by these experi- 

 menters) to be paihogerietiC) or productive of a special 

 disease, it was the anthrax-bacillus. It may perhaps 

 be taken as pathogen etic of the disease called Malig- 

 nant Pustule, " a specific contagious disease, commu- 

 nicated to man from the disease of horned cattle, 

 horses and sheep, &c., known as splenic fever. It is 

 called also woolsorter's disease, from its connection 

 with that trade." 



(t But of this disease it is said, on the 

 authority of observers, direct inoculation is 

 rarely, perhaps never, from the living animal, 

 usually from the carcase, affecting therefore 

 chiefly butchers and slaughterers, &c. It may 

 also arise from eating the flesh." (See Quain's 

 Dictionary.) 



Even of this bacillus we shall find that it is prac- 

 tically harmless UNLESS THERE HAS BEEN AN OPERATION 

 PERFORMED (thought little of by these experimenters) 

 but yet proved to be dangerous, and always productive 

 of disease of itself, an assault upon Nature, by which 

 even healthy human spittle has proved fatal to rabbits. 

 (Klein, p. 69, sup. cit.) (Just as a crust of wholesome 

 bread may be dangerous as a missile shot from a gun, 

 or as an obstruction in the throat.) This is the 



