GENERAL PATHOLOGY. 23 



Often the discharges or sloughs from a simple wound, 

 which has not healed by first intention and is not treated 

 antiseptically, become putrid, and Bacterium Termo, and 

 other organisms, especially micrococci, are found in them. 



The products of the life of these fungi are the cause of the 

 inflammation, and these organisms may continue to grow 

 and excite fresh decomposition. If, however, the discharges 

 are drawn off as fast as they are formed, the non-pathogenic 

 organisms lose their pabulum and putrefaction ceases. Prac- 

 tically, if a wound be guarded from putrefaction, it is pro- 

 tected from infective organisms. 



2. Infective. — Pathogenic organisms cause inflammation 

 by penetrating into living tissues and causing irritant de- 

 composition of the fluids. They are called infective because 

 their poison multiplies in the tissues and spreads to near 

 parts (locally infective), or distant parts (generally infective), 

 in which they set up similar processes. Simple and septic 

 inflammations are non-infective. The special peculiarities 

 in the poisons cause special peculiarities in the inflamma- 

 tions, which are called ^ specific ' because they arise from 

 specific causes. 



THROMBOSIS. 



By thrombosis we mean any coagulation of the blood in 

 the heart, or vessels, occurring during life. The coagulum 

 itself is called a thrombus, in opposition to a clot, the result 

 of post-mortem coagulation. Thrombosis most commonly 

 occurs in the veins. A thrombus may be distinguished from 

 a clot formed after death by its laminated structure ; its 

 greater amount of fibrin, which makes it more firm and light 

 than post-mortem coagula ; its granular appearance on break- 

 ing ; the greater relative proportion of white blood cells in 

 it ; and by its firmer adhesion to the part with which it is 

 in contact. In all cases where coagulation has been very 



