THE MICROBES THAT MAKE US SICK 75 
bowels. At the beginning of the attack, the 
person has a headache, loss of appetite, and 
weakness of the muscles, followed by a high 
fever. The germs do not remain in the bowels, 
but scatter throughout the body, entering the 
blood and tissues, during the illness. 
The tuberculosis (or consumption) germ, as 
seen under the microscope, is a slender, slightly 
curved rod. Several of them usually lie in a 
small heap. They are among the most hardy 
of all the disease-germs, and can live outside 
the human body under unfavorable conditions 
for a surprising length of time. They with¬ 
stand dryness very well. Masses of these germs 
in a cold, dark place will live eight or ten days. 
Boiling for five minutes kills them, and heating 
milk in a closed pan for twenty minutes at a 
heat of 140 degrees will destroy them there. 
Direct sunlight, with plenty of oxygen, puts 
them out of business in a short time, but great 
cold has little effect on them. 
Any part of the body may be attacked by 
the tuberculosis germ, though the lungs are the 
What is the 
tuberculosis 
germ li\e? 
