430 BACTERIOLOGY. 



time extreme, if I remind my readers that the 

 antiseptic method of treating wounds, devised 

 by the genius of Lister and aimed directly at 

 the germs present in the air and alighting 

 upon wounded surfaces, is carried out to-day 

 only in a rather small number of cases. Op- 

 erative medicine, taking up again a method 

 introduced by Semmelweiss in 1847 an( ^ i m ~ 

 proved in accordance with the spirit of the 

 times, now generally prefers to proceed asep- 

 tically from the outset, and to rely, and with 

 greater success than by the other method, upon 

 the natural aids man possesses against his 

 small foes. 



My conception of disinfection is similar to 

 this. I would use methods of disinfection only 

 for the purpose of preventing disease. What 

 disinfection cannot accomplish in this way it 

 cannot accomplish at all, as we ought to have 

 learned by this time. Whoever expects more 

 of disinfection than this deceives himself and 

 others, and leads to an ill-advised expenditure 

 of money which might be better employed in 

 effective works of sanitation. 



But even where it is really possible to dis- 

 infect with an appearance of success, disinfec- 

 tion does not accomplish anything save where 

 it is associated with cleanliness. Under the 

 influence of Koch, people became accustomed 



