54 THE GEKM THEORY OF DISEASE. 



large focus of disease. So with diphtheria. It is not neces- 

 sary for any diseased part to exist before the disease com- 

 mences; that is, the organism finds its way into healthy 

 parts." 



" The action, then, of the virulent organisms is very differ- 

 ent, and it is more philosophical to explain the facts in this 

 way, than to refer the differences to .the mode of action of 

 the parts." 



" Part of them (kinds) will penetrate into the interior of 

 cells, and there multiply, while the cells will perish, destroyed 

 by the evolution of the parasitic organism." 



In other cases (kinds) the organisms pass between the cell 

 elements into the interstices of the tissues, or into the inter- 

 cellular substance. In this case the action of the organisms 

 upon the cells is not direct. The cells are only affected by 

 some matter secreted by the organisms, or by some chemical 

 substance produced by the action of the latter upon the fluids 

 of the body. 



PKOF. KLEBS, OF PRAGUE. 



Prof. Klebs, of Prague, a worker in this field, of great 

 ability, in his address upon this subject at the London 

 Medical Congress, discussed the views of Bastiau, of the 

 spontaneous generation of organisms; and in summing up, 

 says that " since it is abundantly shown, by observation which 

 is trustworthy and reliable, that the material cause of disease 

 is introduced from without, therefore, the subject of spon- 

 taneous generation has no weight in this discussion." 



" Those organisms produced in the body, or those normally 

 inhabiting healthy tissues, if such were proven to exist, could 

 not be regarded as a cause of disease. Only one possibility 

 can here be entertained. Can the organisms ordinarily exist- 

 ing in the healthy body (if such there be, which Klebs denies) 



