MEDICAL OFFICER OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL. 



2 39 



" relates rather to those properties of which we can 

 judge by anatomical means, than to those of chemical 

 composition, or even organic form." Such a remark 

 indicates that the writer does not understand the view 

 he thus attempts to criticise. Neither he nor any one 

 else knows anything about the composition of living 

 matter. Dr. Sanderson's remarks clearly show that 

 he is opposed to the views advanced by me, but if he 

 noticed them at all, in common fairness he ought to 

 have stated exactly what they were. He may do his 

 utmost to make people believe in the old notion that 

 the properties of various kinds of living matter are 

 due to chemical composition, or to organic form, but 

 the facts of the case render such a view absolutely 

 untenable, nor could it have been made to appear 

 plausible had the objections which have been urged 

 against it been stated. No wonder that innocent 

 fungi are again made to do duty for the active par- 

 ticles of contagium, ordinary bacteria, called " micro- 

 zymes in vaccine" and " crypto-coccus cells" ob- 

 tained by the "cultivation of vaccine;" for Hallier's 

 "Micrococci" are still regarded as disease-carrying 

 particles, and readers are entertained with the oft- 

 told story of the " rice parasite." Several of Hallier's 

 untenable theories are minutely discussed, whilst the 

 mass of evidence against his conclusions is almost 

 entirely passed over. 



If such a subject as the "intimate pathology of 

 contagion " be discussed at all in a Government report, 



