colonized as it refers to bacteria

[Guest guest]

My father, when I was a small child, explained the meaning of my being

" colonized " with staphylococcus in this manner: (He actually said this:

" O.K., kid, remember the Puritans and the Pilgrims? Well, they left what was

then called England and came across the Atlantic to see what

they could see. Only they did not just visit; they never left--just settled

in,

and accept for a few local wars (infections and exacerbations), just be

came residents. Well, that's what some germs do, and if they do not

get out of control, things are okay. " I have never forgotten that one, al

though it probably gave me a slightly skewed view of American History.

Anyway, that's me on " colonized " --at least for Sunday afternoon here in

Berkeley, California.

Love to all at cfparents,

n Rojas