[344] 
SOME OF THE PRESENT ASPECTS 
OF THE 
GihM:-THHORY OF DISEASE: 
[The following is a summary of a popular Lecture given by Prof. Wright under 
the auspices of the Canadian Institute on the Germ-Theory of Disease. The 
Lecture was intended mainly to elucidate the subject from a biological point of 
view, and reviewed the interesting facts which have been contributed to the 
Natural History of the lowest Fungi by researches into the relationship of micro- 
scopic organisms to Disease. The present synopsis may be of interest to the 
members of the Institute. ] 
During the last ten years a host of investigators have been busy 
in different parts of the world in attempting to discover the causes 
of certain forms of disease, and their labours have been so far 
attended with success that in almost all forms of contagious and 
infectious diseases, and in certain others which have not been 
included in that category, minute organisms of a special form have 
been found constantly associated with the particular diseases. The 
thought, of course, lay upon the surface that these organisms are not 
only the originators of the disease, but are simultaneously the means 
of spreading it. Such, indeed, has turned out to be the case. It is 
indisputably proved by means of laborious experiments that in some 
diseases the minute organisms are entirely responsible for all the 
course of the disease ; and itis reasonable to conclude that when the 
same methods have been applied to the study of other diseases, a 
connection of the same nature will be demonstrated. 
The first discovery affording a substantial basis for a Germ-Theory 
of disease was made more than twenty years ago by Casimir Davaine 
(who died in Paris towards the close of last year). He found in 
the blood of animals affected with Anthrax! a rod-like organism 
(now known as Bacillus anthracis), in immense quantities, which, 
accustomed as he was to the investigation of diseases caused by 
1This disease, also known as Charbon, which has produced immense ravages especially 
among sheep and cattle in Europe is fortunately very little known in Canada. Isolated cases, 
however, have been recorded both from Ontario and Quebee, chiefly horses having suecnmbed 
to it. 
