BACTERIOLOGY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1318, 31 October 1914, Page 3

BACTERIOLOGY.

interesting lecture by MR POYNTON.

The Masonic,- Hall was comfortably filled on Thursday evening, when Mr J. W. Poyuton, S.M., delivered a lecture on the subject o£ Bacteriology. Mr Horn Wow (chairman of the school committee) presided. The lecture was a particularly interesting one, the subject being dealt with in a very thorough manner, it being evident that Mr Poynton has made an extensive study in this direction. In opening, the lecturer explaiued the nature of bacteria, and the necessity lor these microbes, without which the earth would soon become uninhabitable. He explaiued the manner in which bacteria took their place in Nature’s schemes, and showed that in many' ways they were man’s best friend, and exploded the fallacy in many minds that all germs were detrimental to the health of humanity. Mr Poynton at soma length explaiued the different disease germs. In dealing with these, science in the last fifty years had made tremendous _ strides. He referred to the great researches of the French scientist,

Pasteur in connection with bacteria affecting malaria, hydraphobia, etc,, and also the work of Dr. Koch in connection with cholera.

These scientists bad made extensive experiments, and as a result of same had cultivated other germs which had' the effect of bestowing immunity from certain diseases on persons innoculated. Modern science had ' proved beyond any doubt that all diseases were the result of the work of

certain microbes. At the conclusion of bis address, a number ot lantern slides were exhibited

showing different eerms which were explained in detail by Mr Poynton. A short address was also given by Dr. bearing on the subject, and was much appreciated.