546 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



ties of these products, as is clone by many eminent physicians. Bac- 

 teria may frequently be the bearers and transporters of disease, as flies 

 are accused of communicating the virus of splenic fever to healthy in- 

 dividuals. 



The germ theory, which declares micro-organisms to be the cause 

 and originators of infectious diseases, although it seems to be at present 

 recognized by many physicians, perhaps by the majority of them, is as 

 yet far from being thoroughly established. The action and influence 

 of bacteria have evidently often been exaggerated. Pneumonia was 

 ascribed to them, until it was found that in some pneumonitic cases 

 bacteria are present, whereas in many others none could be found. 

 In hydrophobia a particular micro-organism, although most eagerly 

 sought for, has not yet been discovered. The possibility, however, of 

 transferring this disease from one to another animal by inoculation in- 

 dicates that the virus may consist of some kind of decomposed proteid, 

 acting as a chemical ferment upon certain constituents of blood, or 

 nervous substance. We may, by the existence of such ferments as 

 diastase, pepsin, or as the virus of ser])ents and insects in healthy indi- 

 viduals, conclude that other not organized ferments exist in and are 

 the cause of morbid conditions ; and although most of the fermenta- 

 tive processes, on which epidemical diseases depend, seem to be in- 

 duced and to increase by the agency and propagation of bacteria, there 

 is no reason for making them accountable for other troubles to the ex- 

 tent that has hitherto been done. There are organized and unorganized 

 ferments existing, both of which are known to produce decomposition 

 of organic matter. We hope and expect that the future will decide 

 what effects in animal and human diseases belong to each of them. 



AT^ OUTCAST KACE IN THE PYREjSTEES. 



~I TNDER the name of Cagots there live in the Pyrenees and the 

 vJ old Aquitanian regions on both sides of them — in the Spanish 

 Upper and the French Lower Navarre, in Beam, Gascony, Guienne, 

 and Lower Poitou — a peculiar race who have been much talked about 

 and have attracted the attention of the peoples about them from very 

 ancient times. Formerly the Cagots (whose name linguists derive 

 from canis Gothicics, Gothic dog) were confounded with Cretins. The 

 association was a mistaken one for the Cagots, with their large, mus- 

 cular forms, shapely skull, prominent nose, strongly-marked features, 

 blue eyes, and smooth, blonde hair, are decidedly different from that 

 weak-minded, deformed, and goitrous class ; and their physical appear- 

 ance, in fact, goes to sustain the etymology of their name that we have 

 mentioned, and to indicate a possible derivation from the Aryan Goths. 

 The type of which we speak also corresponds fully with the race-rela- 



