OCC ne | of Disease Germs. 203 
Syphilitic Disease Germs.—This is another of those remarkably 
special living poisons which may be suspended in serum and other 
fluids, and retain its vitality for a length of time. 
There is reason for thinking that a single epithelial cell may 
carry multitudes of active particles of syphilitic poison, one of 
which introduced into the blood or lymph of a healthy person would 
probably grow and multiply, and give rise to pathological changes 
characteristic of, and quite peculiar to this particular poison. 
We know that the syphilitic poison may retain its specific 
characters in the organism for years, from time to time giving rise 
to local pathological phenomena, which are characteristic of this 
kind of morbid bioplasm. It is impossible from the facts of the 
ease to arrive at any other conclusion than this: that a certain 
portion of the living matter remains in the organism, and that 
under certain favourable circumstances this grows and multiples, 
producing disease. Particles of this virulent poison may be trans- 
ferred from the infected organism to a healthy one, and contaminate 
it, even many years after its introduction into the first had taken 
place. Of syphilitic bioplasm there are different kinds, giving rise 
to different pathological affections belonging to the syphilitic class. 
Indeed, some facts render it probable that there are several dif- 
ferent species or varieties of syphilitic poison, instead of only one or 
two. 
One very remarkable property of the poison of syphilis is, that 
it may be re-inoculated into the same organism over and over again, 
until inoculation ceases to produce any specific effect. As soon as 
this is the case, it is said the organism is “ protected.” But such 
protection sometimes cannot be procured until successive inoculation 
has been practised during several months, and, as has been remarked, 
the remedy is in many respects worse than the acquired disease, 
besides being, and on many grounds, quite unjustifiable. 
Living Disease Germs in Secretions—The living germs of 
many fevers pass from the blood into the secretions. The urine, 
the secretions from the mucous membrane of the nose, mouth, 
stomach, and intestinal canal, contain them in large numbers. 
There is reason to think they may also escape in the secretion of 
the sweat and sebaceous glands. In the excrements there can be 
no doubt disease germs exist in vast numbers in typhoid fever, in 
cholera, and in some other diseases. Even in the milk, in the 
tears, in the saliva, they are present. Some of the living particles 
of contagious (?) bioplasm in the milk from a cow suffering from 
cattle plague are represented in my Report, as well as particles of 
bioplasm and fungi m vaginal mucus from another animal suffering 
from the same disease. The spherical form, sharp, well-defined 
outline, and the high refractive power of the envelope of the fungi, 
positively distinguish them from disease germs. 
