The Preservation of Health 293 



is sent to the affected part, resulting in redness and heat 

 about the wound. The bodily cells multiply rapidly and 

 form a barrier to retard the action of the bacteria. Usually, 

 these cells appear upon the surface of the wound and carry 

 along bacteria with them. The discharge, consisting of 

 these cells of the body, lymph, and bacteria, is known as 

 matter, or pus. 



In this relentless warfare between the bacteria and living 

 cells, if the former win, a certain portion of the tissues about 

 the wound dies ; if the cells are victorious, the tissues heal. 



457. Septic Poisoning. Bacteria, after gaining access to 

 a wound, may produce toxic substances, which may enter 

 the blood current and prove an additional source of poison. 

 This is known as septic infection, or commonly septicczmia. 

 The slight fever resulting from a boil or abscess may be 

 due to this cause. 



Sometimes these bacteria may get fastened into a clot 

 of blood which softens, and portions of it may be carried 

 to distant parts of the body by the blood current and there 

 produce abscesses. This poisoning is known as py<zmia. 



458. Alcoholic Fermentation and Bacteria. Men of all 

 ages and lands have known that when the sugary juice of 

 any fruit is left to itself for a time, at a moderately high 

 temperature, a change takes place under certain conditions, 

 and that the result is a liquid which, when drank, produces 

 a pronounced effect upon the body. 



The real cause of this remarkable change in fruit juice 

 was not known until revealed in recent years by the aid of 

 the microscope. We know now that this change is due to 

 alcoholic fermentation, brought about by the action of micro- 

 scopic fungi (sec. 141). 



In other words, alcoholic or vinous fermentation is the 

 result of the growth and activity of low forms of vegetable 



