Bacteria, The Good The Bad, The Ugly
About the Story
This book takes a humorous look at the world of the press worthy Bacteria and their
effect on humans, pets and the household. The microbial world is not all bad for they have
a profound economic impact as well as they play a major role in this planet’s environment. Written for the lay person, good for high school and first year Uni students but is a major handbook for workers at home, in the food industry, institutions where people are housed or entertained. An easy book to read, for it is littered with humour
Story
My book “Bacteria, The Good, The Bad, The Ugly” was as a result of lecturers
given not only to students in medicine, nursing BUT also to the cleaning, maintenance staff
of the hospital. Together with a series of public lectures given at lunch time by our central
library, when I was asked to present in ‘lay mans terms” my profession tasks. This
meant that my talks were useful to a spectrum of “lay persons” This book is written
on hygiene associated with the home, the human body, our food, our pets, our children and in the
environment. It is a necessity of every home to read and begin learning in fun of these exciting
microscopic creatures, which live in, next to us and have a wonderful effect on our health.
It also describes how Man has harnessed these simple forms to produce “billion
dollar” industries of wine, food, dyes, cheeses, medicines such as antibiotics and vaccines.
They are now used in “probiotic” foods which increases our bowel health. Most of
all it is a fun book to read for it is loaded with real life examples from my life time in the
profession
Author's Introduction
WHY? I was visiting my friends in Suisse on my way to a conference in Germany and at supper,
the lady of the house who was in the same profession asked for one of my humorous anecdotes.
Well, folks of the ‘East Indian’ appearance are not noted for their sense of humour. Luckily,
for while I look as though I am from India I am from a lovely green island in the West Indies,
Trinidad. We are a mixed population of different races as a people who laugh, sing and enjoy
ourselves regardless of our race. We could get along better but the politicians insist on keeping
the historical racism alive at election time. After my anecdote which made all present break
into spontaneous laughter. My friend’s wife said “You know Darryl, you should write down your
observations of human idiosyncrasies. If you can write like you tell a joke it would be very
funny book to us.” And so Ladies and gentlemen, was born the first “Indian looking – humorist
Author”
Now the Swiss are not really known for their sense of humour but these had an accomplished taste,
so I naturally followed their advice. My profession also led me to develop an acute study of human
foibles and idiosyncrasy as a Medical Microbiologist. First of all, I did not have the funniest
of lecturers as a student so being closer in age with my students and wanting to keep them
awake, I brought in humour into my lecturers. How can one deal with swabs from all the orifices
of human beings their excrement – shit, urine, vomit searching for the infectious agent and not
have a sense of humour? It is either that or being a miserable background worker in the worse
sewage plant ever or die of boredom. I have made a wonderful living dealing with this subject
for the youth wanted to hear of the revolting disease syndromes, and of course human
genitalia. My best attended lecturers were on sexually transmitted diseases and there
was no sex difference in the curiosity of the male and female infections and the questions
asked by a mixed class.
