GLOSSARY 207 



Bactericide A substance used to kill bacteria; also called a 

 "germicide." Related word: bactericidal. 



Bacterins The dead bodies of bacteria used to treat disease by 

 injection under the skin; also called " vaccines." 



Bacteriology The study of bacteria. Adj., bacteriological. 



Bacteriolysin An antibody that will dissolve bacteria. Related 

 words: bacteriolysis, bacteriolytic. 



Bacterium (pi., Bacteria) From Greek word meaning little stick; 

 the genus of non-motile rods. The words are also used to mean any 

 of these lowest plants. 



Carrier A term applied to a person who carries germs capable 

 of being transmitted to and infecting others, but himself not neces- 

 sarily suffering at the time from the disease caused by the germ. 



Cell The smallest recognizable unit in biology. Cells are single 

 and independent in bacteria and protozoa, but are combined and 

 dependent upon one another in the higher plants and animals. 



Coccacese The family of the spherical vegetable organisms. 



Coccus (pi., Cocci) A spherical organism. 



Colony The individual group growing upon laboratory food- 

 stuffs, and usually referring to one small group. The word is used 

 for the growths upon flat dishes that are supposed to arise from a 

 single organism. 



Commensal Living in harmless union either independently or 

 for mutual benefit. 



Complement A constituent of all sera which helps in the union 

 of antibodies and bacteria. 



Cultivation A word used to embrace all the procedures employed 

 to make germs grow under the laboratory conditions. 



Culture The mass of bacteria grown artificially upon laboratory 

 foodstuffs. The general term applied to the way bacteria grow. 

 See Colony. Adj., cultural. 



Cytoplasm The soft part of a cell between the wall and the 

 nucleus; also called protoplasm. 



Dejecta The feces and urine; also used to mean sputum, sweat, 

 and morbid discharges. 



Disinfection The destruction of infective material. See p. 50 for 

 various degrees. 



