xviii.] NON-PATHOGENIC ORGANISMS. 239 



severely diseased tissues a suitable nidus for their growth 

 and multiplication. But they may be present even in 

 organs which show no severe disorganisation ; thus, for 

 instance, in fatal cases of small-pox, typhoid fever, pyaemia, 

 even infantile diarrhoea, masses of micrococci may be found 

 in and around the blood-vessels in the liver and spleen. In 

 all these cases the micrococci are capable of growing, 

 because owing to the severe general disorder these tissues 

 have before the actual death of the patient lost their 

 vitality, and, consequently, are unable to resist the immigra- 

 tion and settlement of the micrococci. Of the same 

 character are the masses of bacilli one meets with some- 

 times in the intestinal wall, liver, and mesenteric glands 

 after death from severe disorder of the bowels, e.g. typhoid 

 fever and dysentery. I cannot for a moment accept the 

 view of Klebs and Koch, that the presence of the bacilli 

 mentioned in a former chapter necessarily stands in any 

 causal relation to typhoid fever, seeing that they are not 

 constant, and particularly that they are found in organs 

 directly connected with the intestines, which we know are 

 in this disease in an intense state of disorganisation. 



The question arises : Where do the micrococci and 

 bacilli come from which are thus capable of settling in a 

 disorganised tissue even during the life of the subject ? 

 There can be no doubt that, as regards the intestinal wall, 

 the mesenteric glands, the liver, and the spleen, the organisms 

 could readily, in cases of severe disorganisation of the 

 intestine, immigrate from the cavity of the bowel, where 

 they are normally present, into the wall of the intestine, and 

 moreover be absorbed together with the products of dis- 

 organised tissue into the mesenteric lymphatic glands, the 

 liver, and the spleen. Further, it is not difficult to explain 

 that if a focus of inflammation or necrosis be set up at 



