The Microscopic Germ Theory of Disease. By II. C. Bastian. 75 
paratively harmless, may at other times generate products poisonous 
to the human economy.” * 
4. The consideration now to he mentioned suffices, in my 
opinion, to complete the discomfiture of the germ theory as an 
explanation of the mode of causation of the diseases with which we 
are at present concerned. It is this. It has been shown, on the 
one hand, that the virulence of certain contagious mixtures dimi- 
nishes in direct proportion to the increase of bacteria therein ; and 
on the other hand, it has been equally proved that fresh and 
actively contagious menstrua lose scarcely any of their contagious 
or poisonous properties after they have been subjected for a few 
minutes, when in the moist state, to a temperature which no living 
units can be shown to survive (212° F.), or after they have been 
exposed to the influence of boiling alcohol, which is well known to 
be equally destructive to all recognized forms of living matter. 
Such facts have been substantiated by Messrs. Lewis and Cunning- 
ham, Sanderson, and others. 
Having said thus much in opposition to the germ theory, let 
me as briefly enumerate the facts and arguments which seem to me 
to show the real relations of bacteria and their allies to the diseases 
in question. I turn therefore to the construction of an opposite 
doctrine. 
Admitting in part the very frequent presence of bacteria in 
diseased fluids and tissues, I consider that their presence and im- 
port should be differently explained. I say I admit the association 
in part, though I by no means admit it to the extent alleged. 
Bacteria are not, for instance, to be found in the blood of persons 
suffering from pyaemia, as might be inferred from former statements 
of Dr. Sanderson, which I have already quoted. My own ex- 
perience in this matter seems to be entirely in accordance with 
that of Professors Bilroth and Strieker. Neither do I believe that 
the presence of bacteria in inflammatory fluids has the significance 
which Dr. Sanderson attaches to it, since it has been ascertained by 
myself and others that the exudation fluids of sick persons suffering 
from diseases of a totally different type are often similarly crowded 
with these lowest organisms, whilst the recent observations of 
M. Bergeron t seem to show that they may be found even in 
freshly extracted pus from ordinary abscesses occurring in elderly 
persons. 
Now, it would seem quite obvious that the consistent advocate 
of a germ theory of disease can only successfully maintain such a 
doctrine if he can show, amongst other things, that bacteria are 
more capable of altering the character and chemical constitution of 
fluids of the body than they are themselves prone to be altered by 
* ‘ Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science,’ October, 1873. 
f ‘ Compt. Rend.,’ February, 1875. 
VOL. XIV. 
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