170 ADDISON, ON BLOOD-CORPUSCLES. 



f 



injured by contact with hurtful substances ; and there are four 

 ways or avenues by which such contact may be accompHshed, 

 viz. inoculation, respiration, circulation, and immersion in 

 a morbid liquor sanguinis. 



First, of Inoculation. — In all cases of punctured wounds, 

 where poisonous matter is introduced into and takes eflFect 

 upon the blood, forms of fever are primary, and forms of in- 

 flammation and abscess (away ftom the puncture) secondary 

 results. The examples are smallpox, already discussed, and 

 traumatic fever. 



Secondly, of Respiration. — There is a special intercom- 

 munion in the lungs between elements of the air and the 

 red corpuscles of blood ; and the atmosphere is the most 

 usual vehicle, or avenue, of fever. In all examples where a 

 poisonous miasm in the air takes effect upon the blood through 

 the lungs, forms of fever arise. The prominent examples in 

 this climate are, smallpox, scarlet-fever, and typhus. 



Thirdly, of Circulation. — When blood traverses places of 

 unbealthy or degenerating disease, whether of joints, bones, 

 or lungs — the wound of the parturient womb occasioned by 

 separation of the placenta, or chronic ulcers in the mucous 

 membrane of the bowel, from severe distress and privations — 

 in all such cases the corpuscles of blood are exposed to injuiy 

 from contact with putrid or poisonous matter, when passing 

 through the diseased textures ; and in all such cases forms of 

 fever, more or less intense, are apt to arise — hectic, puerperal, 

 typhoid, and traumatic fevers. 



" Simple fever, as well as rheumatic and ty{)hus fever, are 

 associated with necrosis of bone ; and are made to appear, as 

 they are often supposed to be, the cause of the bone disease, 

 instead of being regarded as the constitutional effects of the 

 local disorder. ... In the case I have related, the fever 

 was at first supposed to be rheumatic, then it was regarded 

 as typhus ; but suppuration at the shoulder-joint, and the 

 protrusion of necrosed bone, declared the true nature of the 

 case." (" Clinical Lectures," Mr. F. Le Gros Clark, ' Medical 

 Times,' 1861.) 



" In fatal cases of ovariotomy the symptoms and condition 

 of the patient resembled those observed in puerperal fever." 

 (Dr. Graily Hewett, ibid., 1861.) 



We are not prepared with any microscopical evidence 

 demonstrative of change in the corpuscles of blood in con- 

 sequence of their passing through the vessels of diseased or 

 damaged textures ; but the absence of direct proof has not 

 much weight against the argument, when we call to mind in 

 all cellular bodies, which have not spontaneous movement, 



