156 Manual of Veterinary Microbiology. . 



and, in a general manner, in all somewhat lengthened 

 diseases which lead to a prolonged retention of fsecal 

 matters in the intestine (fever, inappetence, retention 

 of bile, etc.). The indication, in these conditions, 

 is to retard the intestinal fermentations by the ad- 

 ministration of special antiseptics, and to assist in 

 the evacuation of the toxic substances and the germs 

 which produce them, by means of purgatives. This 

 evacuant action of laxatives explains their utility in 

 all febrile affections in which, for special reasons, 

 these remedies are not contra-indicated. 



The pathogeny of septicaemia, therefore, is not of 

 one kind only. The. nosological extent of the term 

 septicaemia is, moreover, very imperfectly defined. 

 When we take into account the fact that bacteria 

 contribute in a general way to the reduction of com- 

 plex organic molecules to forrhulse more and more 

 simple, and, on the other hand, consider the difficulty 

 of determining, in this immense work of microbes, 

 what should be regarded as putrefaction, and what 

 definition should be given of putrid matters, we must 

 recognize that, from the mode of action of the germs 

 which occasion them, as well as by their evolution, 

 all general diseases of a microbic order ought to be 

 included in the group of septicsemic affections. If a 

 certain number of these have been placed apart, this 

 is on account of the specific characters of their germ 

 which, giving to the disease a special expression, have 

 established for it a well defined morbid entity: char- 

 bon, typhoid fever, tetanus, etc. 



Prof. Degive had already twenty years ago con- 



