SPIRILLUM CHOLERA ASIATICS. 445 



of infection which is evidently'of great importance in other 

 contagious diseases, namely, by the respired air, may be 

 left out of account in cholera, and in this fact we have 

 a further reason for limiting the point of entrance to 

 the commencement of the alimentary canal. 



As connecting links between the sources of infection J nfctb 

 and the point of entrance we have left therefore : in the contact, 

 first place, contact between the dejecta or between objects 

 soiled by dejecta, such as linen, soil, furniture, &c., on 

 the one hand, and the mouth on the other. This mode 

 of infection is by no means so uncommon as would at 

 first sight appear to be the case; where cholera patients 

 are nursed by attendants who are inexperienced, and who 

 are not very cleanly in their habits, it must very fre- 

 quently happen in handling the soiled bed and body- 

 linen, &c., that infective material adheres to the hands, 

 under the finger nails, clothing, &c., and that in the 

 course of the next few hours, before it has become com- 

 pletely dry, it is brought into contact with the mouth by 

 unintentional and often unconscious movements. 



In the second place, the infective organisms may pass 2. infection of 



P Pj t /. . f, , . ,'ii articles of 



from some of the sources of infection mentioned to food. 



articles of food, and may then reach the point of entrance 



along with these. The transmission to articles of food B J contact. 



happens by contact with soiled fingers or with other 



objects containing dejecta; further, it will not uncom- By insects. 



monly take place by the intervention of insects, more 



especially flies. The infective material will frequently 



multiply to a great extent on these nutrient substances, 



and thus the sources of infection may be increased to 



a dangerous extent. 



A third mode of infection, which is especially worthy 3. Infection of 



,..."- i ,> -, -i / -i i drinking and 



01 notice, is by means ot water employed for drinking other water, 

 purposes, for the preparation of food, for cleansing plates, 

 &c. This water may be contaminated by comma bacilli, 

 either because dejecta are intentionally or unintentionally 

 poured out in the courts of the house and reach the wells 

 by gutters, which are not unfrequently present, or by the 

 water employed for rinsing the cholera linen taking the 

 same course. In contrast to the other articles of food 



