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Show SJudy of Bacteria Is Meld Important to Future flss Bacteriological advances in the next fifty years can play as important im-portant a role as atomic energy in helping to solve some of the world's most pressing problems, a Univer-I Univer-I sity of Michigan doctor predicts. Future developments in the study of bacteria may even discover a method for utilizing the sun's energy, en-ergy, Dr. Walter J. Nungester of the University's Medical School Department of Bacteriology told a meeting of fellow scientists. Dr. Nungester outlined some of the distinguished findings of past research and admitted that he was doing some "crystal ball gazing" regarding the future. "Greater knowledge of bacterial activity will lead to methods for increasing in-creasing the world's food supply," the U-M scientist forecast. He explained that research by soil microbiologists will help to teach the world how to increase the fertility of the soil and how to get more food from animals. In the prevention and treatment of disease, Dr. Nungester prophesied proph-esied that continuing efforts will develop a safe and effective chemical chem-ical agent for conquering tuberculosis. tuber-culosis. Research will also reveal the causes and suitable forms ol treatment for many present little ( understood infectious diseases such as the "common cold," he added. Some of the other problems thai Dr. Nungester indicated further research re-search might find answers to are: 1) ways to more effectively store and preserve food; 2) prevention oi rust due to bacterial causes; 3) control of fungi that rot wood; 4) treatment of molds that destroy fabrics; and 5) a method for dealing deal-ing with microbes that play a pari in barnacle formation on ships' hulls. |