VOLKMAN. 55 



be so changed, on account of change in the fluids which they 

 inhabit, that they may become a cause of disease. No dis- 

 ease has been shown to arise under conditions which would 

 make this seem probable." Continuing, he says, "We may 

 proceed from this proposition as the basis of future inquiry." 

 " Specific diseases are caused only by specific organisms." 

 " The question now arises, whether specific differences of a 

 morphological nature, which remain constant, can be shown 

 to exist in such organisms, so that, beforehand, their nature 

 can be shown by their forms." " It is possible that the 

 specific effects may be due to fine chemical differences in the 

 working of these organisms." " But, happily, even here the 

 general law of nature holds good, that difference of perform- 

 ance is represented by difference of form, and that within the 

 same form lines there are different grades, only, of perform- 

 ance or capability." 



Prof. Klebs thinks that the knowledge already attained is 

 sufficient to demonstrate that the forms of the organisms 

 causing disease do remain constant, and produce the same 

 phenomena and nothing else, under given conditions. - He 

 attempts a classification, but admits that our knowledge is 

 not yet sufficient for a satisfactory basis. 



VOLKMAN. 



Prof. Volkman, of Halle (London Congress, vol. ii, page 

 362), took strong grounds in favor of the germ theory. He 

 says, "We know of no suppuration which does not depend 

 on the influence of organic ferments. ... In the worst con- 

 stitutions, and with the most disordered state of health, no 

 suppuration takes place if septic infection is prevented. . . . 

 If we could completely exclude all organic ferments, the 

 largest open wounds and the most extensive loss of tissue 

 would heal without suppuration." 



