They multiply by division with wonderful rapidity, and occur in the air, in the water, in the soil, in the bodies of plants and animals. Some of them are harmless, some are useful, and some are exceedingly dangerous. They are the agents of the processes known as fermentation and decay, inducing fruit juices, milk, etc. to sour, and also pus to form in connection with wounds and decay, What is called antiseptic surgery is the use of various means to exclude bacteria and so prevent inflammation and decay. As producers of disease, bacteria are known by various names, such as bacilli, microbes, germs, etc0 They are the causes of contagious diseases, such as pear-blight and melon-wilt among plants, and such human diseases as tuberculosis, cholera, diphtheria, typhoid fever, etc. From the fact that bacteria are mostly ciliated and have powers of locomotion, they are associated in the popular mind with animals.
Baden (bä'den), The Grand Duchy of, lies in the southwestern corner of the German empire, separated from Switzerland by the Rhine. It is divided into a plain and highlands, and of the latter the Black Forest is the most important part. It is drained by the Rhine and Danube, and so pours its waters into two opposite seas. The country is fertile, especially the Rhine valley, and rich in minerals. It is famous for its mineral springs. Among its manufactures the wooden clocks and straw plait-ings of the Black Forest are known over the world; of clocks alone over seventy thousand are made yearly. The manufactures of jewelry at Pforzheim are the most important in Germany. Baden has a good school system, a Protestant university at Heidelberg and a Catholic university at Freiburg. The population is 2,010,728, of which a large majority are Catholics. A parliament of two houses limits the power of the sovereign, whose home is at Karlsruhe. . The earliest people of Baden were the Alemanni, and the present house of Baden began in the nth century. At the time of the French Revolution, the spirit of change which was abroad in all Germany passed into Baden. The Grand Duke Leopold was driven out, but was restored to his throne by the aid of the Prussians, In 1867 though Baden had sided with Austria against Prussia, it was forced to enter the North German Confederation. The troops of Baden fought with distinction in the Franco-Prussian War, and the Grand Duchy became a part of the restored German empire. The present grand duke is Frederick , who came to the throne in 1852. The area of the duchy is 5,823 square miles; Karlsruhe (population, 111,249) is the capital; but Mannheim (population, 163,693) is the chief town.
Baden=Baden, a town in the duchy of Baden, famous as a summer resort. It lies on the edge of the Black Forest. Though its actual population is only about 16,200, its summer visitors average over 50,000, and many strangers remain through the winter. Its hot springs, which attract many strangers, were known in the time of the Romans, Baden-Baden claiming to have been founded by Hadrian in the 2d century. In laying the foundations of the summer home of the grand duke, the remains of a vapor bath and a dungeon of that period were found. There are thirteen hot springs, with a temperature of 115° to 150°. The chief spring discharges in twenty-four hours about 4,200 cubic feet of water. The water of these springs is useful in skin diseases, gout and rheumatism. The attraction of Baden-Baden used to be its gaming tables, once the most famous in Europe, but now closed, which, besides paying a rent of $70,000, devoted as large a sum to adorning the promenades and public gardens. The scenery is beautiful. The picturesque ruins of the old castle still crown the summit of the Schlossberg, from which is had a fine view of the Rhine valley.
Baden-Powell (bā'den-pō'ĕl), Robert Stephenson Smyth, British general and one of the dashing and popular figures in the Boer war (1899-1901), is the son of the late Rev. Baden-Powell of Oxford, and was born February 22, 1857 and educated at Charterhouse, London. In 1876 he joined the i3th English Hussars, and served as adjutant of that regiment in India, Afghanistan and South Africa. In 1887-89 he served in South Africa as assistant military secretary on the staff took part in the operations in Zululand, for which he was mentioned in dispatches; was employed for a time in Malta; and in the command of the native levies in the war in Ashanti (for which he received a star and was raised to the rank of lieutenant-colonel). In the Matabele War, he was chief staff officer in that campaign. In the Boer War, he was given command of the 5th Dragoon Guards, and with a force of 1,200 men was besieged in Mafeking, on the Bechuanaland frontier, from October, 1899 till the town was relieved (May 18, 1900), the general displaying great tact and coolness in the conduct of the defense. He afterward took part in the advance on Pretoria, and was given command of the South African police for the pacification of the country. He is now British Inspector-General of Cavalry, and is the author of a work on Reconnoissance and Scouting, Vidette Duty, Cavalry instruction, The Downfall of Prempeh, The Matabele Campaign and on Pig-Sticking or Hog-Hunting. He is a noted sportsman, actor and athlete.
Badger (băj'er), a burrowing animal common in Europe, Asia and America. It is notable for the flatness of its short, clumsy body* Its head is pbinte'd at the snout.
