CONSUMPTION. 151 



lungs. The white cells wandering short distances may 

 easily reach the surface, and there meet, enclose and 

 carry back the germ. If the corpuscles sicken while the 

 germ survives, the latter may find themselves in some 

 place where they can thrive and multiply, and thus 

 tubercles may arise." 



This merely explains how consumptive germs gain a 

 foothold. Eegarding the manner in which the disease 

 spreads, page 371 states: "It is supposed white cells 

 enter a primary focus, take up a germ and wander out 

 again into the surrounding tissue, there to sicken and 

 swell into a giant cell, not far from the parent mass. 

 A fresh tubercle thus forms, etc." Page 356 to 370, 

 and many other pages, contain various theories from 

 different bacteriologists. They tell us the white cells 

 have the power to destroy germs, see page 54. That 

 they act as a body guard, "a standing army," and 

 protect the body from invading germs. According to 

 this nature's plans are defeated. Her means of de- 

 fense is converted into a means of spreading disease. 



It should be remembered that in consumption, as in 

 other diseases, bacteriologists deal only with theory 

 pure and simple. They have absolutely nothing to 

 offer except theory. They make all their experiments 

 upon rabbits, guinea pigs, stray dogs, Algerian rats, etc. 



For years they have been raising, examining and 

 experimenting with what they are pleased to call the 

 consumptive germ, and they understand its habits, con- 

 duct and size so well that on page 509 of Physician 

 and Surgeon for November, 1899, they tell us that it 



