METCHNIKOFF'S MICROBE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 148, 21 June 1912, Page 6

METCHNIKOFF'S MICROBE.

CAN SCIENCE LENGTHEN LITE! ! "MORE MEX WILL REACH OLD AGE/ PATHOLOGY PROCESSOR'S OPINION. According to the Trofessor of Pathology 'at Sydney University, in spite of the cabled discovery by Professor Metchnikoff, of "the microbe of longevity," the evidence is all against any chance of lengthening life indefinitely. The cells of the body have a certain tenure of life, which varies in individual cases, and nothing can extend it. The most such experimenters as Professor Metchnikoff can do will be to free the body from certain disabilities, to enable the colls to run their full term- Science may help more people to reach the natural age , at which life ends, the age reached in any case by our long livers. That is all; we are not going to live for ever, or even twice as long as •Wβ live now. METCHJS'IKOFFS IDEA. "MetchnikofTs general idea," the professor said, "ia that an important factor in inducing senility is the action of toxins or poisons produced in the alimentary tract, and particularly in the lower intestine. Much of his recent work ha 3 been directed tjo-wards tho elimination of thesn toxins. For example, ho found that the bacillus of sour milk, introduced in large numbers into the intestine, inhibited the development of other bacteria there, and amongst them of bacteria which he. considered noxious. The effects of the horde of bacteria he introduced were relatively harmless. All our intestines and discharges from them are loaded with bacteria, which probably play an important part in the digestion of foods. But if the action of these bacteria i= carried too far—if, for instance, faecal matter is retained—poisons begin to be produced. THE SOUR AIILK TREATMENT. '•As a matter of fact, Profeesor Metchnikoff regards the lower part of the intestine as unnecessary and injurious. But since it is there, the point is to get rid of the poisons, and his idea is to do this by swamping it with harmless bacteria. Such poisons cannot always be got rid of by means of medicine; you can't be continually taking doses of salts, and in any case these empty the upper as well as the lower intestine, and get rid of partly-digested food as well as faecal matter. "The intention probably is that the microbe should be taken, as you would take the bacteria of sour milk, into the alimentary tract. But it is not quite clear from the cable whether Metehnikoff moans that the organism itself or the substances that it produces arc antagonistic to the poisons produced in the alimentary tract. The difference between this new treatment and the old one with sour milk may be that this is more effective, and t-'.&t the poio.-ns are more completely aitagonised. Tbc discovery is evidently a continuation and attempt to perfect iae eour milk method of treatment. LIFE AND ITS POISON?. 'Metchuikofi is a man of very high standing indeed. He is one of the -leaders in the world of bacteriology and pathology, and anything he says must, carry great weight. Of course, anything that will dimmish the factors that are hostile to life—and the ib~ Borptibn of poisons is certainly one of them—will tend to lengthen life. There is no doubt that the freeing of the intestines from Boisons would help to keep the rest of tha organism healthy. But it does not follow tb>t a man with perfectly healthy intestines would iir: twice his present age. It means, probably, that mon men would reach old age, and that they would meet it in greater comfort. 1 don't suppose that Professor MetchnikofPs discovery will be able to do much more than most people can do for themselves by judicious attention to their diet and by keeping their bowels open. And many people attend to neither of these things." "CANNOT PROLONG LIFE INDEFINITELY." "Then this discovery can hardly be called revolutionary?" "Metchnikoff would probably consider it so; he would go farther than I have said. ' "Even theoretically, it will never be possible to prolong life indefinitely. T-be cells which compose the body have a natural term of life, which is probably no longer than our oldest lives, but which varies greatly in individuals. And the biological evidence is all to the effect that that term cannot be prolonged. This discovery cannot do more than elurinate one factor which prevents the cells of the body from living to the full term of their natural life, whether it be relatively short or long. Aicer the expiry of this natural tenure oi life, for a renewed vitality in animal cella, a, conjugation of two cells-M;hat is, a jnew individual, is necessary."