292 



GENERAL SCIENCE 



sufficient to overcome a great attack of germs. When disease germs 

 enter the blood and begin to multiply very rapidly, more of this 

 germicidal substance is manufactured, and it assists the corpuscles in 

 killing the germs. The turn of a fever comes at the time when the 

 corpuscles and germicidal substance get the upper hand of the germs. 



FIG. 189a. Comparative size, a, End of a lead pencil. 6, A dust particle. 



c, Bacteria. 



Conn. 



There is a different type of germicidal substance for every disease 

 germ. Sometimes this germicidal substance remains in the blood 

 for a long time after the person has recovered from the disease. 

 Therefore, that person can never have that particular disease as 

 long as the germicidal substance is present in the blood. Germicidal 



substances which destroy cold-producing 

 bacteria remain in the body so short a time 

 that a person can " catch cold " again 

 within a few hours after getting rid of 

 one. 



Diseases Are Not Inherited. Diseases 

 are not inherited. The only thing that 

 is inherited is the power of killing the 

 germs of any disease. For example: If 

 the parents of any child have little power 

 to kill germs of consumption, leprosy, or 

 cancer, the child will inherit the tendency 

 to have little power of killing the germs. 

 Certain races have little power of killing 

 the bacteria of leprosy and consumption. It is believed that people 

 who drink alcohol lower the ability of the blood to produce germi- 

 cidal substances for killing bacteria. 



FIG. 1896. Spore for- 

 mation. 



Conn. 



