132 BACTERIOLOGY FOR NURSES 



phagocytes are able thus to dispose of particles of all kinds, bac- 

 teria, cellular debris, the fragments of coal in anthracosis, catgut, 

 and silk ligatures and other foreign substances. It may happen, 

 however, that they can withstand the phagocytic ferments and 

 even cause the death of the cell, in which case they become again 

 liberated in the tissues. The inclosing of the parasites, then, 

 is only a preliminary step. The process may be useless unless 

 suitable digestive ferments are excreted and the bacteria dis- 

 solved. 



