Pathogenic 3Iicrobes in the Static Condition. 55 



!N"ow, these are just the infected vehicles which trans- 

 port the pathogenic germs to healthy individuals. 



Indirect contagion only occurs with facultative 

 parasitic germs and with contagious obligatory para- 

 sitic germs which are endowed with considerable 

 power of resistance against external causes of de- 

 struction. 



The point of entry of microbes mediately trans- 

 mitted is variable; when the virulent matters are 

 brought into contact with the skin, or with the 

 genito-urinary or ocular mucous membranes, it is 

 called transmission by indirect contact; when the con- 

 tagion is introduced with the food, water, or by 

 the air, it is called transmission by ingestion or inhala- 

 tion. 



When pathogenic germs are once deposited on or 

 within the organism, the manner in which they may 

 affect the latter will differ according to the case; 

 sometimes they will have no appreciable effect; at 

 other times they may determine the irruption of a 

 disease similar to that which has engendered them. 

 The placing in activity of the pathogenic faculty de- 

 pends in reality upon many circumstances, and, in 

 the first place, upon absorption. We will study here 

 the ways and processes of absorption of pathogenic 

 microbes, as a sequel to the study of modes of con- 

 tagion. 



2. Absorjption of pathogenic microbes. — Disease germs 

 are capable of penetration through various surfaces, 

 natural or artificial; these we will now review in suc- 

 cession. 



Skin. — The intact sKn is an unfavorable surface 

 for the absorption of germs, but does not oppose it- 



