SOME DISEASES MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE. 271 



mildest attack of scarlet fever though for many years I was daily 

 exposed. How many of us escaped I cannot tell you, but T have no 

 doubt that in some measure the apparent immunity depends on 

 the healthy condition of many of the living particles of the 

 organism, and their power to resist the action of the contagious 

 living particles, and their power to destroy them even though they 

 gain entrance to the body in health ; its new tissues being every- 

 where pervaded with fluid in constant motion, and the products of 

 decay and disintegration being removed as fast as they are foi'med, 

 may possibly be the explanation. 



Professor Orchard. — Would '■' phagocytes " have anything to do 

 with it ? 



Professor Lionel Beale. — By eating up the bacteria ? 

 Professor Orchard. — Yes. 



Professor Lionel Beale. — But everybody does not suffer from 

 bacteria. They only take hold of one of us here and there ; but a 

 great many absolutely escape without injury by the minute pests. 

 It would be very interesting and nothing could be more important 

 if we could only find out why it is nurses, physicians and medical 

 students seem to withstand the bacterial armies of invasion. The 

 probability is that in steady good health the noxious organisms, 

 by the constant interchange of fluid, and the impossibilitv of 

 stagnation of the general and interstitial circulation, the livinc 

 particles are soon destroyed if we. are healthy. In every part of 

 the living body except the dry tissues on its external surface, and 

 part of the tooth structure, new nutrient particles are beino* 

 constantly caused to live and take the-place of the matter that 

 dies. The products of tissue decay, and the matter resulting from 

 death of the old particles must be removed ; and I conclude that 

 those persons in whom there is a free and proper removal of the 

 products resulting from the death and disintegration continually 

 proceeding, are more likely to escape than those who do not take 

 care to introduce into their organisms sufficient fluid to dissolve 

 the nutritious matter required and to carry away the products of 

 vital activity and tissue disintegration and decay, are more likely 

 to suffer than those in whom the circulation of fluid throughout 

 the organism is free. In short, I believe that those who take a 

 proper quantity of water in the course of every twenty-four hours 

 are more likely to enjoy continuous good health, and to resist the 

 influence of noxious bacteria and other deleterious agents, than those 



