Everywhere around us there are millions of tiny living things called germs. They are so tiny that they can be seen only under the most powerful microscope. Some of these germs are no wider than twenty-five thousandth of an inch!

Louis Pasteur, the great French scientist, was the first to prove that germs exist. The germs in the air can be counted. The number of germs around us, especially in crowded rooms is tremendous. Certain scientists counted 42,000 germs in approximately one cubic meter of air in a picture gallery when it was empty. But when the gallery was crowded with people, they found nearly 5,000,000 germs in the same place. In the open air germs are less abundant. There are fewer germs in country air than in town air. We see at once how important it is, therefore, to live as much as possible in the open air, and for the rooms we live in to always be well ventilated by fresh air.

The forest’s sentinel

Glides silently across the hill

And perches in an old pine tree,

A friendly presence his!

No harm can come

From night bird on the prowl.

His cry is mellow,

Much softer than a peacock’s call.

Why then this fear of owls

Calling in the night?

If men must speak,

Then owls must hoot-

They have the right.

On me it casts no spell:

Rather, it seems to cry,

“The night is good- all’s well, all’s well.”

-- RUSKIN BOND