OUR talk on September 21, entitled Viruses and Bacteria, was given by Dr Jim Stone, a microbiologist.

In modern medicine, considerable research is carried out to understand their behaviour and to provide suitable antidotes to meet the unwanted effect that they have on the human body.

The study of microbiology goes back to the 18th century but has gradually become more sophisticated over the years.

Many of the organisms now studied are sub-microscopic, being too small to be seen by an ordinary light microscope.

The battle against infection is a never-ending task. In spite of the fact that we now live in more hygenic conditions, many of the remedies against disease have a limited life space, their effectiveness being challenges by the change of genetic structures in the offending organisms.

The study of microbiology is a specialised one but the speaker was able to give a layman's guide to the subject.