Pathogenic llicrobes in the Static Condition. 57 



with the virus of charbon, of bodies capable of ex- 

 coriating the mucosa (thistles, husks of barley) in- 

 creases the mortality from this disease, but excoria- 

 tions of the bucco-pharyngeal mucosa are compara- 

 tively common, and consequently it is necessary to 

 take into account this way of infection. 



Absorption, however, appears occasionally to take 

 place in this situation in spite of the integrity of the 

 mucosa, as, for example, when we contaminate a 

 healthy flock with aphthous stomatitis by depositing 

 a little of the saliva coming from diseased animals in 

 the mouth of other healthy animals. 



As in the case of the anterior, the mucous mem- 

 brane of the posterior digestive canal admits of pen- 

 etration by virus when it is the seat of alterations in 

 its continuity : erosions, ulcerations. But, even when 

 it is intact, the gastro-intestinal mucous membrane 

 does not prevent the absorption of pathogenic germs, 

 as numerous experiments have demonstrated. Char- 

 bon, glanders, tuberculosis, aphthous fever, cholera 

 of fowls, and, indeed, nearly all microbic diseases can 

 be transmitted in this way. Nevertheless, all sub- 

 jects which ingest virulent products do not neces- 

 sarily become infected; a certain number are refrac- 

 tory to the disease; in others the gastric juice kills 

 all the germs which are introduced, whilst in others, 

 again, absorption may not occur. 



Referring to the microbicidal action of the gastric 

 juice, we may repeat, that non-sporulated bacteria 

 are killed much more rapidly than spores ; infection 

 by the latter is consequently infinitely more certain ; 

 this fact has been demonstrated for charbon. 



Respiratory mucous membrane. — Air charged with 



