FUNGI FROM HUM A N BIOPLASM. 7 3 



the occurrence of putrefaction and the development 

 of bacteria. 



It has been assumed that the poison in question is 

 not developed until after death has occurred. But no 

 one has shown that if inoculation were effected while 

 the patient yet lived, the results would be in any way 

 different. There is, I think, no more doubt that such 

 poison is developed during life than that the poison 

 of small-pox, syphilis, and many other poisons which 

 are allied to these, and probably grow and multiply 

 in the same manner, increase during life. 



When putrefaction has actually set in, and bacteria 

 germs are being developed in immense numbers, apunc- 

 tured wound is not productive of the dire consequences 

 which too often result if inoculation takes place within 

 a few hours after death. In fact, the real virus loses 

 its power when decomposition commences. Before 

 vegetable germs appear the virus is active ; soon after 

 these have been developed it is harmless. Its power 

 cannot, therefore, be attributed to the germs but must 

 be due to something else which continues to live and 

 remains active for a short time after death, and then 

 for ever disappears. The nature, mode of origin, and 

 multiplication of this active material will be fully dis- 

 cussed in the second part of this work. 



Question of derivation of Fungus Germs from 

 higher Germinal Matter of another kind. As has 

 been already remarked, lowly vegetable germs appear 

 in closed cavities in the substance of dead animal 



