MUL TI PLICA T10N OF DISEASE GERMS. T 7 7 



Although little has been discovered concerning the 

 state of blood favourable to the growth and multipli- 

 cation of disease germs, it has long been known that 

 when fever, inflammation, and other blood diseases 

 have become established, the composition of the blood 

 is altered, and even in a slight feverish attack which 

 constitutes an ordinary cold, the chemistry of the 

 blood is temporarily deranged, The extractive matters 

 soluble in boiling water are present in undue pro- 

 portion, and it is probable that this increase arises 

 from insufficient oxidation. Various matters which 

 in perfect health are very highly oxidized, so as to be 

 eliminated in the form of carbonic acid, urea, and other 

 substances which are readily excreted, remain in the 

 blood unoxidized, or are very slowly and with difficulty 

 eliminated in a suboxidized state. Thus there remains 

 in the blood an excess of soluble material, which per- 

 meates the tissues much more readily than ordinary 

 healthy serum. This transudes through the walls of 

 the capillaries, and is appropriated by the bioplasm of 

 the blood, of the vessels, and of the tissues. The bio- 

 plasts or masses of germinal matter invariably increase 

 in size under these circumstances. By this increased 

 growth of germinal matter, which invariably takes 

 place in all inflammations and fevers, the close analogy 

 existing between these two classes of diseases is clearly 

 indicated. 



One important change in the composition of the 

 blood when fever has become established, may be 



