INFECTION. 131 



intestines, on the other hand, contain great numbers of 

 bacteria. Among these the colon bacillus is constantly 

 present, and often the streptococcus and other patho- 

 genic bacteria. After typhoid fever the bacilli may 

 remain in the intestinal contents for weeks and in the 

 bladder and gall-bladder for months. The bacteria 

 swallowed to a considerable extent escape destruction 

 in the stomach, and thus appear in the intestines. Some 

 good observers have stated that bacteria can be absorbed 

 through the intestinal wall into the chyle and blood. 

 When the intestinal canal is injured, or its circulation 

 hindered by strangulation, etc., the bacillus coli and 

 some other bacteria may penetrate through the injured 

 walls and cause peritonitis or general infection. Under 

 certain conditions, as during the debility due to hot 

 weather, the bacteria in the intestines cause, through 

 their products, irritation, and in children even serious 

 intestinal inflammation. 



The kidneys, bladder, and urethra may be the source 

 of infection and may give rise to disease in others. 

 Long after an acute gonorrhnea has passed gonococci 

 may remain in sufficient numbers to cause a new in- 

 flammation or produce infection in others. A cystitis 

 may run on chronically for years, and then suddenly 

 become acute or spread infection to the kidneys. After 

 typhoid fever the urine may contain abundant typhoid 

 bacilli for weeks and be little thought of as a source of 

 infection. A persistent gonorrhoeal vaginal infection 

 may lead to a gonorrhoeal endometritis, or salpingitis, or 

 peritonitis, under suitable conditions. The staphylococci 

 in the skin and the colon bacilli and pyogenic cocci in 

 the faecal discharges may also be carried into the uterus 

 and produce septic infection. 



