258 BACTERIA IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES. 



These ptomaines have also been obtained by Gau- 

 tier from putrid blood and from the normal secre- 

 tions of healthy persons, saliva, urine, blood, 

 etc. 



The soluble poison, sepsin, which has been 

 shown by the researches of Bergmann, Panum, 

 Burdon Sanderson, and others, to exist in putrid 

 blood is fatal to animals when administered in a 

 sufficient dose, which, however, is very small. 

 According to Koch five drops of blood, which has 

 not putrefied too long, is sufficient to kill a mouse 

 within a short time. After receiving an injection 

 of this kind the symptoms of poisoning are de- 

 veloped immediately, and the animal dies in from 

 four to eight hours. 



" In such a case the greater part of the fluid injected 

 is found in the subcutaneous cellular tissue of the back 

 in much the same condition as before it was injected. 

 It contains bacteria of the most diverse forms, irregularly 

 mixed together, and as numerous as when examined 

 before injection. No inflammation can be observed in 

 the neighborhood of the place of injection. The inter- 

 nal organs are also unaltered. If blood taken from the 

 right auricle be introduced into another mouse, no effect 

 is produced. Bacteria cannot be found in any of the 

 internal organs or in the blood of the heart. 



" An infective disease has therefore not been produced 

 as the result of the injection. On the other hand, there 

 can be no doubt that the death of the animal was due 

 to the soluble poison, sepsin. 



" This supposition is confirmed by the fact that when 



