BACTERIOLOGY IN MEDICINE AND SURGERY. 

 



INTRODUCTION. 



ALTHOUGH most of the more important discoveries 

 in bacteriology which place it on the footing of a 

 science are of comparatively recent date, the founda- 

 tion of the study of vegetable and other micro-organisms 

 was laid over two centuries ago. From the earliest 

 times its history has been intimately associated with 

 that of medicine. Indeed, it is only through the inves- 

 tigations into the life-history of micro-organisms in their 

 relation to disease that our present knowledge of the 

 etiology, course, and prevention of the infectious diseases 

 has been acquired ; and it is only by the practical ap- 

 plication of the principles and methods of bacteriology 

 that many diseases can be positively diagnosed or the 

 problems which present themselves to the sanitarian be 

 certainly solved. The prominent position which bac- 

 teriology already holds toward medicine is, moreover, 

 daily increasing in importance. Original discoveries are 

 constantly adding to the list of known germ diseases, 

 and the outlook is favorable for eventually obtaining 

 through serums or through the toxic substances of the 

 micro-organisms themselves means for immunizing 

 against, if not curing, many of the specific infections. 

 Even at present bacterial products and protective 



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