Travers. — On Pathogenic Microbes. 63 



and those taken fronj the tongue did not go beyond the third. 

 The diphtheritic angina of Philadelphia is much less fatal than 

 croup, and the first attenips at inoculation made by Formad 

 and Wood produced doubtful results, precisely because they 

 were made with the microbe of diphtheritic angina, which is 

 an attenuated form of the microbe of croup. The organism is 

 the same, but it is modified by the medium in which it is 

 developed, and the vitality of artificial cultures is in direct 

 proportion to the malignity of the disease from which the 

 germs for sowings are derived. 



I cite this instance in order to show the importance of 

 preventive measures of all kinds. Now, the sewage system of 

 every town should be so arranged as to insure that such parts 

 of human and other animal excreta as usually find their way 

 into and are carried off by the sewers should be discharged 

 from them in a manner to insure the practical annihilation of 

 any germs with which it is charged. 



It is, as I think, the unquestionable duty of our medical men, 

 to whom both their patients and the public naturally look for 

 advice and instruction on these points, not merely to physic 

 the former when they find them prostrated by diseases of the 

 foregoing classes, but also carefully to inquire into the con- 

 ditions by which they are surrounded, and to suggest such 

 precautions in favour of those who have not yet been attacked 

 as may be calculated to ward off danger of infection. It is 

 also, as I think, their duty as a body to pursue investigations 

 of the kind now being carried on in Europe in connection with 

 the diseases in question, with a view to acquiring such a 

 knowledge of air-germs and the microbes of earth and water 

 as may enable them intelligently to decide on the causes of 

 epidemics, and to recommend, with the full strength of their 

 authority and knowledge, such steps as may tend to avert 

 their occurrence. And it is the duty of those who are 

 charged with the control of matters affecting the public health 

 to obtain and act upon the advice of persons of acknowledged 

 eminence and skill in relation to the modes to be adopted for 

 promoting it, instead of allowing their counsels, as is unfortu- 

 nately too often the case, to be presided over by the foul gods 

 of Hocus-pocus, Hugger-mugger, and Higgledy-piggledy, with 

 Presumptuous Ignorance as the high-priest. 



