CHOLERA 73 



nets of their bacteriolysis are very probably completely 

 digested in the digestive apparatus and do not penetrate 

 into the blood as antigens and are only very exceptionally 

 pathogenic when taken by mouth. 



4. Cholera vibrio are very widespread in nature, and very 

 often provoke apparently spontaneous vaccinations, they are 

 very proteolytic and the products of bacteriolysis are not 

 completely digested in the human gastro-intestinal tract. 

 These products penetrate into the blood as antigens and 

 provoke (as in the alimentary intoxications caused by para- 

 typhoid) various circulatory disturbances more or less severe 

 according to the quantity of antigen absorbed and the 

 quantity of preexisting antibody. The living germ does 

 not penetrate into the blood. 



We may conclude that for every disease of intestinal 

 source, the most convenient and efficacious method of vac- 

 cination would be the prolonged ingestion of dead bacteria, 

 while the most efficacious method of treatment would be 

 specific bacterial therapy by fractionated intravenous 

 injections. 



