52 LOCALIZATION OF MICRO-ORGANISMS. 



microbes in the meshes of the threads produced ptomaines, which 

 chemically injured the tissues before they could be removed by the 

 tissues. 



When chemical abscesses were produced by the injection of croton 

 oil, nitrate of silver, ammonia or cadaverin, and the animal was inocu- 

 lated with pns-microbes in another part of the body, the chemical 

 pus was always found sterile. The same was observed if a phleg- 

 monous inflammation was first produced and one of the chemical 

 irritants was injected later in some distant part of the body. 



When a chemical substance which produces pus is injected with 

 pus-microbes into the tissues, the former prepares the soil for the 

 latter, but does not determine localization of microbes introduced 

 into the circulation. The cause of this is probably the active cell- 

 proliferation produced by the chemical substance. 



Aschoff ( Ueber die Einwirkung des Staphyloeoccus pyogenes aureus 

 auf Entzundetes Gewebe ; Dissertation, Bonn, 1889) found that the 

 action of pathogenic microbes upon tissues in a state of active cell- 

 proliferation induced by chemical irritants is intensified. A pure 

 culture of the yellow coccus was injected into inflammatory swell- 

 ings, caused by the subcutaneous use of tincture of iodine. The 

 necrosis and exudation were much more marked than when the 

 same injection was made into healthy tissues, while the regenera- 

 tive processes were also correspondingly retarded and the microbes 

 manifested greater activity and power of resistance. 



Orlofif (" Materialieu zur Frage iiber die Eintrittswege der 

 Mikroben in den Thierischen Organismus," Centralblatt /. Bac- 

 teriologie u. Parasitenkunde, B. iii. No. 15) made many interesting 

 experiments to ascertain if pathogenic microorganisms can enter 

 the body through healthy intact, as well as through irritated 

 diseased mucous membranes. He injected a pure culture of the 

 Staphyloeoccus pyogenes aureus into the trachea, duodenum, and 

 ileum of animals, or administered the same culture by feeding. 

 The experiments were made on rabbits and guinea-pigs. In some 

 of the animals the bronchial mucous membrane was altered by 

 application of croton oil, solution of nitrate of silver, and in two 

 instances by injuring it mechanically with a catheter through a 

 laryngotomy wound before the culture was injected. The same 

 conditions were produced in the stomach and intestines by similar 

 means prior to the administration of the culture. In 12 experi- 

 ments the Staphyloeoccus produced no symptoms when introduced 

 into the healthy stomach, although a pure culture was fed for from 

 1 to 14 days. In the post-mortems made 12 to 72 hours after the 

 feeding of the microbes, all the internal organs were found sterile, 

 and only the lower portion of the colon contained Staphyloeoccus 

 colonies. All examinations of the blood during life yielded nega- 



