OF DISEASE GERMS. 255 



endowed, we should be able to recognize the import- 

 ance of the discoveries of a scientific imagination so 

 exalted, or appreciate the " laws" it had evolved for 

 our instruction. Without, therefore, venturing to state 

 positively from what particular kinds of germinal or 

 living matter of the body the germs of contagious 

 disease are actually derived, or attempting to decide 

 definitely whether they come from the very minute 

 blood bioplasts, or from ordinary white blood-cor- 

 puscles, or lymph corpuscles, or mucus, or epithelial 

 or other particles, I think I am justified in advancing 

 the doctrine that the germs originate in man's 

 organism, and that they have descended from the 

 normal bioplasm of his body. 



In ordinary febrile states, the bioplasm of the blood 

 is increased, and it is not improbable that from the 

 growth and multiplication of this bioplasm, under 

 certain circumstances, contagious bioplasm of various 

 kinds may result. 



It would seem, then, arguing from the facts referred 

 to when discussing the inflammation of the peritoneum, 

 in which process a very highly contagious form of 

 bioplasm is developed in the course of a few hours, 

 that there can be little doubt regarding the origin of 

 the poison in this particular case. The minute particles 

 of bioplasm or living matter produced in such great 

 numbers as the inflammation advanced, are the actual 

 agents, and it is by their rapid growth and multiplica- 

 tion in the lymph, and afterwards in the blood, 



