GIANTS AND PIGMIES

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXX, Issue 12263, 26 May 1934, Page 10

GIANTS AND PIGMIES

WAGE LONGEST WAR. TN HUMAN HISTORY. “Man versus Bacteria” was tho subject of an address to the Palmerston North Rotary Club by Dr H. It. Whitehead, of Massey College, and in it he told the story of the longest war in human history—the unceasing struggle between man and germs, in which the advance of science has played an, increasingly important part. The war was one in which all were engaged; none could he a conscientious objector, he said. Hospitals were constantly maintained to support casualties, and largo sums were spent on devising bettor ways of combat. The contest was one between giants and pigmies, but the struggle was by no means unequal. Sometimes tho pigmies were victors. One of their strongest weapons was the rapid rate of multiplication —one germ dividing into two every half hour. Frequently, fho germ waged war on liis enemy, man, by means of deadly poisons, and man's efforts were directed chiefly to attacking the different varieties ol germs. Not until comparatively recently were germs held responsible for the spread of disease. Not until 1(370 did a. Dutchman first actually see germs with the aid of his.instruments. For sixty years or more it was commonly thought that gernis originated by spontaneous comhustion—life created from inanimate sources. Only with the work of such scientists as Pasteur was it seen that life could he created only from life. Pasteur spent a great deal of timo ill demonstrating that such changes ns the souring of milk the putrefaction of meat, and tho spread of disease, were caused by bacterial activity.

Only then did the science of sanitation spring np. .Man carried the war into enemy country, fighting tho germs hi their natural habitat. By such methods tho incidence of disease had boon lessened. In the days when sewage and refuse were left to stagnate in tho streets, it was easy io realise how disease spread. 'ln the modern community garbage was scrupulously collected, and foodstuffs subjected to rigorous genn-combative control.

The new knowledge was applied also to the practises of surgery. Hitherto, - surgeons made no effort to prevefnt the entry of germs to a human wound, for they did not realise their danger. To-day everything m the operating theatre was designed to exclude germs, and so now major operations were conducted daily, whereas formerly the slightest operation was attended by grave risk. Onco a germ entered a wound, the defensive system of tho human body at once became operative. A wound offered congenial surrouta dings for the bacteria if they wero left unmolested, hut in tho blood stream were hordes of white cells, which fought the invaders and usually overcame them. Sometimes, however, tho germs wore particularly virile and bested the white “scavenger'' colls. Evan, so, there was another method of defence, even after the germs had entered the body. Organ-, isms known as antibodies confronted the bacteria, frequently overcoming them.

Dr Whitehead also dealt in interesting fashion with such preventive methods as the use of antidotes. There was every indication, lio said, that) in tho next few years this means would become effective in a greater number of diseases. The exoctation of life had thus been materially increased. Medical science had learned how to prolong life; and enable men to lead a fuller as well as a longer life.