184 PHYSIOLOGY OF THE BACTERIA. 
or, by a little different mechanism, veritable em- 
bolisms. 
A very curious fact was published not long since, 
which supports this view. This observation is due 
to Hjalmar Helberg (of Christiania). In the case 
of a woman in whom the mucus membrane of the 
uterus was found to be covered with a great num- 
ber of micro-germs, the tissues of the eye pre- 
sented a series of lesions, which microscopic ex- 
amination showed to be due to the presence of 
parasites. In the ceils of the cornea, in the ves- 
sels of the choroid and of the retina, were seen 
veritable plugs containing bacteria identical with 
the micro-organisms found in the genital parts. 
The author admits that the ocular inflammation 
had been produced by septic embolisms. 
I will not insist further upon the embolic pro- 
cess, which is studied in another chapter of this 
work. 
To sum up, I will say that, so far as the influence 
of bacteria on wounds themselves is concerned, we 
know as yet nothing positive ; since, as I have said, 
we find these parasites upon the surface of solutions 
of continuity which progress most rapidly and surely 
to a cure. Better informed in regard to the gener- 
alization of the process and the infection of the 
organism by products formed on the surface of 
the wound, we cannot dissimulate the fact that 
much of our information is still upon the border- 
line of hypothesis, and that it would be imprudent 
to accept it yet as invariably settled. According 
to all probability, we will find the key to these 
