60 THE GERM THEORY OF DISEASE. 



phenomena which occasion the formation of ordinary pus, 

 may, if they continue to occur for a long period of time, 

 determine the development of a specific pus, which has still 

 more marvelous powers of vitality. So, I think, it may 

 reasonably be argued that if the ordinary feverish state be 

 prolonged for a considerable time, and be severe in degree, it 

 is likely that the bioplasm in the blood, collected in the 

 capillaries, may give origin to bioplasm with marvelously 

 increased power of retaining its vitality and of growing and 

 multiplying. The particles of this making their way through 

 the vessels and escaping may live for a considerable time, and 

 having entered the blood of another person may excite in it 

 the changes which accompanied its own development." 



" Finally," Dr. Beale says, " it is not probable that disease 

 germs have sprung from insects, or animalcules, or any kind 

 of vegetable organisms ; neither have they originated in the 

 external world and seized upon man ; but they have been de- 

 rived by direct descent from the normal living bioplasm of 

 the organism. They have originated in man, and if man is 

 not, indeed, responsible for their origin,'he has certainly him- 

 self imposed the conditions favorable to their production and 

 dissemination." 



It is worthy of note that the experimental proof upon 

 which Dr. Beale relies for his theory is similar to that upon 

 which others have relied for proof that bacteria cause disease, 

 namely, injection by pus and fluids from the tissues, and 

 observations of the transmission of contagions, the means by 

 which they may be prevented, etc. He does not pretend that 

 the character of such contagious bioplasm can be determined 

 by microscopic study, but on the contrary, distinctly asserts 

 that it cannot, and further, that the study of the subject gives 

 no hope whatever of demonstration by this mode of inquiry; 

 fur the reason that the bioplasmic forms give no indication 



