VACCINE-THERAPY 123 



By this method we can ascertain — 



1. What bacteria we are fighting against. 



2. We know nearly what stage of infection the patient 

 is in at the time of examination ; that is to say, if the in- 

 fection is very recent, and the bacteria have not invaded the 

 whole of the womb, material from No. 1 tube will contain 

 more bacteria than are to be found in tubes Nos. 2 and 3. 

 On the contrary, if the invasion is equally diffused over 

 the whole organ, the three tubes should be practically 

 alike. 



Of course, if the case is an advanced one and the prac- 

 titioner is called in late, the womb may be sufficiently 

 closed to prevent the entrance of one's hand unless ill- 

 advised force is used ; but, on the contrary, the fact that 

 the womb is in such a diseased condition militates against 

 its natural processes of contraction. In fact, it is this 

 contractile power the practitioner so much desires to be 

 brought about, and to accelerate the condition in practice 

 we make a point of giving full doses of ergot, thereby 

 limiting the risk of extension and the possible development 

 of septic infection or intoxication. 



To ascertain the degree of infection in each tube, we 

 place an equal quantity of the material in a sterile tube, 

 and add a given quantity of sterile salt solution, draw off 

 the end of the tube in the blow-flame, seal it up as already 

 described, and mark it with grease pencil " No. 1." The 

 same process is gone through with Nos. 2 and 3. 



These are well shaken — each for a given time — to break 

 down the bacterial bundles, chains, etc. A drop of the fluid 

 is now placed on the end of a slide, spread carefully with 

 a Wright spreader, and allowed to air dry and marked 

 " No. 1" The same method is adopted with Nos. 2 and 3. 

 These are respectively examined, and the bacteria, say in 

 half a dozen squares of the microscopic field, are counted 

 and totalled, and each slide total is then compared. If 

 the films are equally spread in each case, the results should 

 be pretty accurate. 



