Stomach. 



NATURAL IMMUNITY. 



monia, tuberculosis, etc. A neglected cold 

 often induces such conditions. 



The hydrochloric acid which the gastric juice 

 contains is said to be able to deal a death-blow 

 to the germs of typhoid fever, tuberculosis, 

 cholera, dysentery, and some other pathogenic 

 micro-organisms, when they reach the stomach 

 in food or water. The gastric juice is believed 

 by some authorities to render many disease- 

 producing germs harmless by digesting their 

 poisons. As nurses, we have learned by ex- 

 perience that such germs are not by any means 

 always destroyed by the juices which the sur- 

 face of the stomach secretes and expels. They 

 reach the intestines when such powers of re- 

 sistance are weakened through our failure to 

 take care of our health, and typhoid fever, 

 cholera, dysentery, etc., flourish because of our 

 negligence. Bacteria and their toxins are often 

 thrown off from the stomach in the process of 

 vomiting. , 



The protective power possessed by the secre- .pj^g 

 tions of the intestinal surfaces is limited. Bile Intestines. 

 is slightly germicidal ; it also neutralizes some 

 of the toxins. The pancreatic juice has the 

 power to destroy some of the products of 

 pathogenic bacteria. In a state of health, harm- 

 ful germs are eliminated in fecal matter. 



The protection against disease germs afforded 

 the healthy human body by the surface of the 

 55 



