118 SEPTICAEMIA. 



the maximum symptoms were observed, and if the animal recovered 

 from the immediate effects of the intoxication, it recovered showing 

 that the disease induced resulted from the introduction of a pre- 

 formed poison, and on this account was not progressive. Later, 

 Hiller (" Die Lehre von der Fiiulniss," Centralblatt f. Chirurgie, 

 1876) produced a similar affection with ferments. Bergmann and 

 Angerer (Das Verhaltniss der Ferment-Intoxication zur Septicwmie, 

 Festschrift zur Feier des 300 jahrigen Bestehens der Jul. Maximilian 

 Universitdt. Wurzburg, 1882) produced a condition in animals 

 resembling septicaemia by injecting into the circulation pepsin and 

 paucreatiu. When death occurred after iutravascular injections of 

 these ferments, fibrinous deposits were found in the heart and pul- 

 monary vessels : these experiments were, therefore, confirmatory of 

 the observations previously made by Edelberg and Birck, who had 

 shown that the injection of putrid substances into the circulation 

 materially increased the free fibrin ferment in the circulating blood. 



Blumberg (Virchow's Archiv, B. c. Heft 3) concluded from his 

 numerous experiments on animals that the symptoms which follow 

 an injection of putresceut material into the circulation are not always 

 constant ; that, in fact, extreme prostration, high temperature, rapid 

 pulse and respiration, are the only constant symptoms found. The 

 same author also confirmed the statement that the blood of patients 

 dying from putrid intoxication contained no microorganisms. 



Samuel (Archivf. Exp. Pathologic u. Pharmacie, i. 317) believes 

 that putrid fluids from the second day until the eighth mouth act 

 differently, and divides their action, according to this supposition, 

 into three stages : 1, phlogogeuic, in which they produce only 

 inflammation ; 2, septogenic, in which they produce in the living 

 organism putrefactive processes ; 3, pyogenic, in which they cause 

 only suppuration, having lost in the meantime their other qualities. 



Mikulicz ("Ueber'die Beziehuugeu des glycernis zu Cocco-bac- 

 teria septica u. zur septischeu Infection/' Archivf. klin. Chirurgie, 

 B. xxii.) found that putrid fluids, according as they are free from 

 bacteria, or contain more or less of putrefactive germs, will produce 

 a slight inflammation, a suppurative inflammation, or a progressive 

 phlegmonous inflammation . 



Bergmaun (Verh. der Deutschen Gesellschaft fur Chirurgie, 1882) 

 advances the idea that in cases of septicaemia the microorganisms 

 enter the colorless blood-corpuscles and by multiplication cause 

 their dissolution, during which the fibrin-generators are liberated, 

 the process ending in intravascular coagulation and capillary embo- 

 lism. In Koch's mice-septicaemia such a chain of pathological 

 conditions can be readily demonstrated, but in many cases of fatal 

 sepsis in man the microorganisms in the blood are few, no destruc- 

 tion of leucocytes can be demonstrated, extravasations and capillary 



