THE BACTERIA IN SURGICAL LESIONS. 187 
quency; and union by first intention is attempted 
and often obtained in very extensive wounds, where 
formerly it could not have been hoped for, even 
in the cases which presented the most favorable 
appearance. 
Let us rejoice that we can record such favorable 
results; and, however cloudy the present theories 
concerning bacteria may be, let us recognize that 
the labors of Pasteur and Cohn have at least had 
the merit of inspiring great reforms, which are 
subjects of just pride in the operative surgery of 
the present day. 
Many other substances have also been praised as 
being an obstacle to the development of germs. 
We will only mention the permanganate of potash, 
the hyposulphites, chlorme water ,and tincture of 
eucalyptus, of which the action is doubtful. We 
must still mention glycerine, which from its affinity 
for water has the property of fettering the move- 
ments of bacteria, and determining at their ex- 
pense a considerable exosmosis. 
We will not return here to the subject of the 
origin of micro-organisms, but refer the reader 
to the chapter in which this has already been 
treated. | 
