BACTERUL INOCULATION 255 



Bacterin therapy has definite and, in the minds of 

 immunologists, well-recognized limitations. It is not 

 assumed to be a specific, capable of cm'e in all cases 

 to the exclusion of other important time-honored 

 therapeutic measures, physical and chemical. It pur- 

 ports to be merely the logical and scientific means to 

 assist Natm-e in her struggle against infection, and, 

 with due appreciation and application in this light, it 

 will seldom fail to render due service. It offers no 

 promise to resuscitate a medical derelict. 



'^4^11usion must be made to certain causes of failure 

 by those practicing bacterial inoculations. Sum- 

 marily, they may be stated to be: (1) utilization of the 

 improper bacterium, whether autogenous or hetero- 

 geneous; (2) routine employment of stock instead of 

 autogenous bacterins; (3) ignorance in administra- 

 tion, either of size of doses or intervals of inoculations, 

 and (4) disregard of commonly associated conditions. 

 The mistake of utilizing the wrong germ could be 

 obviated by the routine employment of autogenous 

 bacterins whenever possible. This implies technical 

 laboratory and bacteriological knowledge by each 

 physician contemplating bacterin therapy or that he 

 consult with or refer his patient to an immunologist. 

 Thus there would arise no shifting of responsibility 

 between the laboratory worker making and stand- 

 ardizing the bacterial suspension and the general prac- 



