CHAPTER XII. 



Presence of Bacteria in the Subepithelial 

 Lymphatic Glands. 



At a time when I was engaged in throat and ear 

 work amongst out-patients, the way in w^hich tonsils 

 and adenoids appeared to attract bacterial infections 

 suggested to me the hypothesis that these organs by 

 inviting a local infection possibly protected the body 

 as a whole by conferring a general immunity, much as 

 the vesicles in vaccination by the doctor strengthen the 

 patient to resist small-pox. In 1911 and 1912, I ad- 

 duced various pieces of evidence in support of such a 

 contention. But if such a hypothesis were correct, it 

 would seem probable that bacteria might be continually 

 entering the subepithelial glands, though a local in- 

 flammatory reaction might not ensue unless the 

 organisms possessed a high degree of pathogenicity. 



These considerations led to attempts to demonstrate 

 bacteria in the subepithelial lymphatic glands of appar- 

 ently healthy animals. The appendices of rabbits were 

 chiefly studied, but the tonsils of cats, rabbits, and 

 other animals, and also freshly-removed human tonsils 

 and adenoids were examined. The demonstration of 

 bacteria in tissues is not always an easy matter, but in 

 the case of the rabbit's appendix I was surprised at 

 the ease with which enormous numbers of bacteria 

 could be found in the lymph nodules within the wall 



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