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healthy blood cells and unhealthy germs which takes place in the 

 diphtheritic membrance. He shows that the diphtheritic microbes, 

 which are present in enormous numbers in the superficial layer of 

 the false membrane, are hardly discernible in the succeding layers, 

 and are entirely absent from the lowest layers of the false 

 membrane. Moreover, many of the amceboid cells or leucocytes in 

 the layer of the false membrane immediately below the superficial 

 layer are seen to contain two or more of the diphtheritic bacilli 

 which they have evidently attacked and partly destroyed. Dr. 

 Ruffer adds, "the diphtheritic membrane is a battle-field for 

 amoeboid cells and the pathogenic microbes of diphtheria. The 

 reason why the bacilli do not penetrate into the tissues is probably 

 that as soon as they do so, they are arrested by the amoeboid cells 

 present in the diphtheritic membrane." Dr. Ruffer confirms the 

 opinion of many eminent bacteriologists, that a constant warfare 

 is ever taking place within us, between healthy cells and unhealthy 

 germs, and just in proportion to our health and vigour, are we able 

 to resist and overcome these insidious foes. 



Not animals but plants are attacked by these parasitic fungi, 

 and the "blight," " mildew," and "mould," with which we are all 

 familiar, and with which plants are so often affected, are all due to 

 the depressing agency of some specific micro-organism. Professor 

 Soraner, who is an authority on the diseases of plants, ascribes the 

 potato blight which was so prevalent last autumn to a bacterium 

 termed "clostriplum batyricum " (which you see depicted on this 

 diagram). This germ "is able to dissolve the cell walls (of 

 the potatoe), and to develop butyric acid " ; if the diseased tubers 

 " are at once put into a dry, light place, the vegetation of the 

 bacteria is arrested," but is left unexposed to the air, " the potatoe 

 will rot away into a thin, dirty liquid, held together by the skin." 

 Here again is a proof of microbes flourishing in darkness and in 

 damp, but withering away if exposed to the beneficent rays of the 

 sun. 



We hear and read so much of the disastrous influence of germs 

 that we scarcely realise the inestimable service rendered by bacteria 

 in changing and removing the products of decay and death. They 

 literally regenerate the world by devouring the debris of dead 

 organic matter, and reducing it by decomposition, into its original 

 harmless components. Were it not for their salutary influence in 

 revolving all dead and putrescent materials into their original 

 elements, the world would long ago have become one vast charnel 

 house, unfit for human abode. Indeed, life itself would have 

 become impossible were it not for their agency, for the whole 

 surface of the earth would be filled with the noxious remains of 

 every type of organic matter, both animal and vegetable. Hence 



