Page 16 - The Miracle of the Immune System
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round 250 years ago, scientists discovered, after the invention of
microscope, that we live together with many tiny creatures,
which we cannot see with the naked eye. These creatures are present ev-
erywhere — from the air we inhale, to the water we drink, to any object
which comes in contact with the surface of our body. It was also discov-
ered that these creatures penetrate the human body.
Although the existence of this enemy was discovered two and a half
centuries ago, most of the secrets of the "defence system" that fights a vig-
orous war against it have not yet been uncovered. This molecular system
in the body is activated automatically according to an exquisite plan the
minute a stranger makes its way in, declaring an all-out war against it.
When we take a quick look at how the system works, we see that every
phase takes place according to a meticulous plan.
The System That Never Sleeps
Whether we are aware of it or not, millions of operations and reac-
tions take place in our bodies every second. This action continues even
when we are asleep.
This intense activity occurs in periods of time which from our view-
point are very short. There is a significant difference between the notion
of time in our daily lives and the biological time of our body. The span of
