VACCINE-THERAPY 143 



with bacteria, but some more so than others. The badly 

 ventilated horse-box, the fusty cow-pen, or the insanitary 

 dog-kennel, pre-eminently carry more than their share, and, 

 needless to add, animals with pulmonary disease inhaling 

 such germ-laden air must be placed at great disadvantage 

 when the crisis of the disease arrives. In fact, we see in 

 practice, some cases where specific invasions of the 

 respiratory organs have taken place under excellent 

 hygienic conditions making good recoveries, while others, 

 less fortunate by reason of their unhygienic surroundings, 

 succumb to pulmonary disease in spite of all efforts to save 

 them. The first point, then, in all respiratory affections 

 the clinician must emphasize is to insist his patient inhaling 

 the purest possible air-supply. 



Diseases of the respiratory apparatus seem to be particu- 

 larly suited to the beneficial influences of vaccine-therapy, 

 the circulatory supply being usually so good, unless, of 

 course, some mechanical or other obstructive lesions are 

 in existence to prevent the bactericidal elements easily 

 reaching the source of infection. 



Moreover, the clinical phenomena after vaccine injection 

 can usually be more easily interpreted here than probably 

 in any other system of organs. 



Perhaps the most common group of exciting causes 

 productive of derangement of the respiratory system are 

 sudden barometric changes. 



A sudden chilling of the respiratory mucosae drives the 

 blood and its antibodies temporarily away from the parts, 

 the previously latent bacteria often found located upon 

 the respiratory mucosae become active, and in the 

 process of their growth toxins are formed which still more 

 depress the body- cells. Local cell-proliferation goes on, 

 leucocytosis comes into evidence, and the whole area is 

 bathed in bacteriotropic material. A regular warfare has 

 now become established, and upon the power of the tissue- 

 elements to overthrow the bacteria depends whether the 

 animal lives or dies. 



