42 THE BIOLOGY OP DAILY LIFE. 



pyaemia, septicaemia, and purulent infection, 

 state that ' although bacteria of various forms 

 were found in the blood in a number of cases, 

 they could not be found in all the cases, nor 

 were they discovered constantly in those cases 

 where at one or other time they were present/ " 

 (Trans, of Path. Soc., vol. xxx,. p. 44). 

 Though I have not attempted to place before the 

 reader one thousandth part of the testimony which I 

 have at my command, I believe enough has been 

 placed before him to enable him to come to a verdict 

 upon what has been presented. It can easily be seen 

 if I have suppressed or altered, or given a biassed in- 

 terpretation. I solemnly declare I have not. I believe 

 it will be found I have fulfilled my undertaking, and 

 the attentive reader will see : 



1. That these micro-organisms are a valuable, and 

 probably necessary, part of the arrangements of 

 Nature, and that they promote and facilitate the 

 salutary changes indicated by the Law of Inter- 

 change. 



2. That, notwithstanding all appearances to the 

 contrary, there is abundant evidence to acquit without 

 a shadow of blame, or at least to make it impossible 

 to convict those micro-organisms, which have been the 

 most specifically and definitely accused of causing 

 disease.* 



In the next chapter we shall show the real disease- 

 producer, again taking as evidence simply the ad- 

 missions of those who hold the opposite view or in 

 truth hold a brief this time for the accused party. 



* See Appendix to Chapter VI., p. 86 of this book. 



