BACTERIOLOGY AND THE WAR. 27 
UxttrRAmicroscopic MICROBES. 
. Ihave told you that the size of a microbe is about 1/10,000 
part of an inch, and until recently they were believed to be 
the smallest living creatures. But in the last few years other 
living organisms, capable of producing disease, have been 
discovered, which are so small that the majority have never 
been seen even with microscopes magnifying three or four 
thousand times. These organisms are called ultramicroscopic 
organisms. ‘They are also called “filter passers’’ because they 
are so minute that they will pass through the pores of a porcelain 
filter which will filter out any known bacteria, as in the 
purification of water. 
These ultramicroscopic bodies produce foot-and-mouth 
disease, cattle plague, sheep-pox, hog cholera, dog distemper 
in animals. Their existence has been proved partly by the 
_ fact that fluids from animals suffermg from foot-and-mouth 
disease, etc., which have been passed through a porcelain 
filter, still produce the particular disease when inoculated into 
a second and healthy animal. It is highly probable that 
chicken-pox, smallpox, measles, scarlet fever and yellow fever 
are also caused by ultramicroscopic organisms, but as it is 
difficult or impossible to produce such diseases in animals by 
inoculation, we are not certain. Some day science will see 
these bodies, but the time is not yet. 
THe VALUE OF A ScrieNTIFIC EpucATION.* 
I have tried to describe some of the bloodless victories 
of the Science of Bacteriology, victories which are helping 
us to win the war. I want now to draw your attention to 
the value of scientific education. 
* Several quotations in this section are taken from: A. The Manifesto 
on the Neglect of Science and the Report of the Proceedings at a Conference, 
Harrison & Sons, St. Martin’s Lane, London (References in my paper are 
marked A); from B. Leading articles in Nature, between November, 1915, 
and May 11, 1916 (References marked B); and from C. Letters in The 
Observer, by Converted Classics, Shipley and H. A. Roberts and others, 
between January 23, 1916, and February 20, 1916 (References marked C). 
