NOTES AND MEMORANDA. 169 



In the moister mucous membranes, Bacteria, Vibriones, 

 and Leptothrix are most abundant ; and, more rarely, larger 

 Fungus-germs occur, which soon develope an abundant myce- 

 lium, as where O'ulium albicans is produced in the affection 

 commonly known by the name of " thrush." These various 

 organisms exist abundantly enough in almost all the mucous 

 membranes of the body, more especially when there is some 

 unhealthy mode of action going on in the part ; and their 

 prevalence in these situations is far more dependent upon the 

 presence or absence of such conditions than upon the degree 

 of exposure of the part to the possible contaminating influ- 

 ence of germs derived from without. Some of those which 

 are least exposed are most prone to throw off the organisms 

 already mentioned, as well as Monads and other more anima- 

 lised forms. 



Fungus-germs and rudimentary mycelia are also frequently 

 met with upon and in the superficial layers of the skin of 

 man and the lower animals, where they represent the best 

 known characteristics of certain familiar diseases. 



Here again, as in the case of the mucotis membrane and 

 of the general parasitic diseases, there is the possibility that 

 such growths may be occasioned by actual contact with some 

 disseminated and all-pervading Fungus-germs. We know, 

 indeed, that these parasitic diseases are contagious; that 

 persons free from such maladies may become affected, pro- 

 vided the infecting germs fall upon suitable situations and 

 find these in a condition favorable to their growth. Even 

 here, however, the conjoint influence of predisposing and ex- 

 citing causes of disease must come into play. So that the 

 question is whether, in certain cases, the "predisposing" 

 causes may not be sufficiently potent to generate the disease, 

 without the aid of any " exciting" cause in the form of pre- 

 existing Fungus-germs. Much evidence of a general cha- 

 racter, in addition to the many facts and observations already 

 alluded to, tends to favour this view — more especially in the 

 face of the almost insuperable difficulties which beset those 

 who are exclusive advocates of a " germ-theory." 



The Blood in Syphilis. — At the meeting of the Gesell- 

 schaft der Aertze, in Vienna, on January 12th, Dr. Los- 

 torfer related the results of some researches which he 

 had made on the blood of syphilitic persons. Hallier, 

 he said, had described microscopic fungi as being present 

 in the blood in infectious diseases ; but his observation 

 had been contested by others. This, Dr. Lostorfer be- 

 lieved, arose from the quantity of blood examined having 

 been too small, and from the investigations having been 



VOL. XII. NEW SER. N 



