64 MICROBES AND HEALTH. 



of gases and some in the form of pus, and as fast as 

 the dead matter is removed healthy tissue forms and 

 gradually the wound heals. The microscope would re- 

 veal millions of germs in the dead tissue and in the 

 pus, yet all would understand it was the burn and not 

 the germs that caused the disease, but the germ action 

 aided materially in the process of healing, for without 

 such action the tissues destroyed by the hammer or 

 the fire would not have been removed, but would have 

 remained in a mummified condition. Green's Path- 

 ology states, page 270, and every pathologist under- 

 stands, that "all processes comprised in the terms fer- 

 mentation and putrefaction are due to the action of 

 vegetable organisms." 



Some bacteriologists admit that such germ action 

 and elimination is an advantage to the patient, but 

 claim that when the dead matter is removed the germs, 

 with the advantage gained, continue to do business at 

 the old stand. In other words, there are some who 

 do not claim that germs are the primary or first cause 

 of disease, but that disease allows their development 

 in the system, after which they attack the surrounding 

 tissues and thus cause chronic disease and fatal termi- 

 nation. 



Is that true ? 



Let us make a few practical applications. Let us 

 take those diseases in which there are a large number 

 of germs present. There are millions of germs in the 

 pus contained in every felon, boil, or carbuncle, yet 

 these cases usually heal promptly and the individual 

 forgets all about them. A man breaks his leg. It is a 



