A Brief History of the Miracle Bacterium

Here’s a fascinating 1969 article about the same bacterium called “From Superstition to Science.” — The whole thing is worth a read, but I especially loved how it traces the blood effect back to Pythagoreanism. Pythagoras the Biologist!

It quotes a 170 AD satire by Lucian, “the sale of creeds” about the god Hermes auctioning off different philosophies.

“Pythagoreanism: Of living animals I eat none. All else I can eat, except beans.

First Buyer: And why no beans? Do you dislike them?

Pythagoreanism: No. But they are sacred things. Their nature is a mystery. Consider them first in their generative aspect; take a green one and peel it, and you will see what I mean. Again boil one and expose it to moonlight for a proper number of nights, and you have—blood. What is more, the Athenians use beans to vote with.”