, NOTES AND MEMORANDA. 165 



evolution is due to direct egress of the germs from the vessels 

 with the blood itself. This explanation is quite in accordance 

 with the facts of the cases related, in so far as they have 

 been fully recorded. In the stomach, they are usually found 

 with perforating ulcer or other diseased condition of that 

 viscus. Their occurrence in the urine has always been 

 associated with disease of the kidneys or the bladder. In 

 the cerebral fluid, in Jenner's case, they occurred along with 

 blood-corpuscles. Their occurrence in gangrenous cavities 

 can easily be explained in a like manner. 



In all cases there have been favorable conditions in hollow 

 viscera or cavities for the development of the sarcinous germs, 

 directly carried to their surface by effused blood. 



The blood in which the sarcinse had developed to an 

 enormous extent always retained its alkalinity. There was 

 no sign of putrefaction or fermentation, and no gaseous 

 evolution. Sarcinse directly introduced into a tube contain- 

 ing boiled Pasteur's fluid standing over mercury, and under 

 conditions favorable to fermentation, caused no such pheno- 

 menon. 



The above facts will serve to throw light on the nature of 

 sarcinous vomiting. Sarcina3 neither generate acids in 

 organic fluids, nor is their growth accompanied by the 

 evolution of gases. Constantly, however, in the characteristic 

 sarcinous vomit, there are, along with sarcinae, immense 

 numbers of torulse and bacteria. tSo constant is this associa- 

 tion, that some have attempted to establish a developmental 

 relation between sarcina and torula. This my own experi- 

 ments entirely negative. Bacteria and fungi are the great, 

 and, I may say, the only, cause of putrefaction and fermen- 

 tation. 



The constant presence of sarcinee is a point of great 

 importance in reference to the whole question of contagion 

 and the nature of disease-germs. It throws especial light on 

 a much-discussed subject — viz., the nature of the vaccine 

 particles which are constantly to be seen in fresh lymph. 

 In numerous experiments made by Dr. Burdon Sanderson 

 and myself in reference to vaccine, we found, on cultivation 

 of fresh lymph in suitable organic fluids, that the particles 

 multiplied, and assumed, in many instances, a form resembling 

 sarcina. I have noAv not the slightest doubt of the nature 

 of these particles, and regard them as the ordinary sarcina 

 sanffuinis. The conditions of vaccination are just such as 

 would readily account for the presence of these organisms in 

 the developed vesicle. It is more than probable that sarcinse, 



VOL. XII. NEW SER. M 



