TYPHOID FEVER. 183 



In other words, inject the germ into the body and there 

 will be no result. 



Evidently the bacteriologists are not satisfied with 

 their definition of disease, and after much labor have 

 prepared the Widal test. Knowing that some consider 

 this test of little value, and to aid in arriving at the 

 truth, the author addressed six letters to six leading 

 bacteriologists, inquiring wherein the test is weak. 

 The answers contain the following quotations: One 

 says : "The test must be made at a certain time, or no 

 Widal reaction will take place." Another says : "The 

 Widal reaction is weak because its characteristic reac- 

 tion is not produced until late in the disease, generally 

 from the tenth to the twelfth day." Another says: 

 "The value of the Widal test is disputed by some, for 

 the reason that the blood of patients other than typhoid 

 gives the same reaction, unless certain precautions are 

 taken." The foregoing answers were included in per- 

 sonal letters. 



The New York Board of Health replied by printed 

 circular, from which the following quotations are 

 taken : 



"The blood of persons suffering from or having re- 

 cently had tjrphoid fever, contains, as a rule, after the 

 fifth day of the disease, certain substances, etc." The 

 circular also states that: "It has been shown that 

 occasionally the blood of persons suffering from other 

 diseases possesses this peculiar property." Again the 

 circular states : "These substances, are also occasion- 

 ally present in small amounts in other diseases and 

 even in health." Again, "If the blood contains the 



