150 Dr. Wright and Capt. Douglas. Action on [July 26, 



Table showing the Katio in which the Phagocytic or Opsonic 

 Power of the Patient's Blood stood in each case to the Phagocytic 

 or Opsonic Power of the Normal Individual who furnished the 

 Control Blood. 



(The phagocytic power of the control blood is taken in each case 

 as unity.) 



In view of these observations and of the fact that we have not 

 come across any instance of the association of a normal phagocytic 

 power with a staphylococcus infection, the conclusion would seem 

 justified that a low phagocytic power and staphylococcus infection are 

 related to each other by some fact of causation. While it is a priori 

 possible that the diminished phagocytic power which characterises 

 those infected by the staphylococcus might be the result of the 

 staphylococcus invasion, it is infinitely more probable, in view of the 

 entire absence of clinical symptoms in the slighter cases of staphylo- 

 coccus infection, that it is the defective phagocytic power of the 

 patient which furnishes to the staphylococcus which is normally 

 present upon the surface of the body the opportunity for invading the 

 skin. 



It is shown elsewhere (see p. 166) that a similar problem arises in 

 connection with the circumstance that a low phagocytic power, with 

 respect to the tubercle bacillus, is generally found in association with 

 tubercular infection. 



