49 



Yet the induction of suppuration is not a monopoly of 

 micrococci : the growth of the actinomyces bovis in the 

 tissues is accompanied by the formation of abscesses ; 

 upon microscopic section the fungus is found constitut- 

 ing the nucleus of a miliary abscess ; and inoculation 

 with the isolated actinomycetes proves that the fungus 

 itself, and not a hypothetical soluble substance accom- 

 panying it, is responsible for the suppuration. Experi- 

 mental researches upon suppurative keratitis by Leber, 

 of Gottingen, make it highly probable that another bac- 



Fig. 7. Actinomyces bovis tongue of ox. X 140. 



terium, the leptothrix of the mouth, and a mould fungus, 

 aspergillus glaucus, can also induce suppuration. On 

 the other hand, several bacterial varieties are known to 

 inhabit at times human and other animals without caus- 

 ing suppuration the bacillus anthracis, for example. 



The school of pathologists of which Weigert is a 

 prominent exponent, has been inclined to regard micro- 

 organisms not merely as a cause, but as the sole cause 

 of acute suppuration. This view was certainly incom- 

 patible with many clinical observations, and has been 

 3 



