PROFESSOR LISTER'S VIEWS. 



Before the bacteria can grow and multiply, the death 

 of the higher germinal matter must occur ; as long as 

 this lives, it, and the adjacent tissues, are freely per- 

 meated by healthy fluids, and will efficiently resist their 

 assaults. Much as I admire the interesting observa- 

 tions of Mr. Lister, and firmly as I believe the facts 

 as stated by him, I venture to doubt if the efficacy of 

 the treatment he so ably advocates is due to the pre- 

 vention of the entrance from without of these germs. 

 There are germs out of number within, which would 

 grow and multiply in the wound, however perfectly 

 those outside were excluded, provided only the wound 

 itself were in a state favourable to the process. Bac- 

 teria germs appear in close cavities in the substance of 

 tissues during life and within the blood-vessels, as has 

 been already stated. The true explanation of the 

 undoubtedly beneficial action of the carbolic acid 

 antiseptic treatment may be very different to the 

 explanation offered by Mr. Lister. To me it appears 

 much more probable that the carbolic acid acts 

 directly upon the growth and multiplication of the 

 bioplasm of the part ; but this question shall be con- 

 sidered in another part of this memoir, after the 

 mode of formation of pus has been referred to. 



The virulent poison which sometimes produces such 

 terrible results upon the healthy (?) organism in cases 

 of dissection wounds cannot be attributed to the pre- 

 sence of vegetable germs, for the period of its most 

 virulent activity is very soon after death, but before 



