268 A MANUAL OF BACTERIOLOGY 



confirmed by subsequent investigators. The causal 

 relation of the micro-organisms to the conditions of 

 suppuration and sepsis was established later by numbers 

 of experiments and clinical observations which showed 

 that many different species may produce these diseases. 

 In the " cleaner " wounds and abscesses the chief 

 organisms met with are several species of micrococci 

 (commonly known as staphylococci , and the infections 

 which they produce as staphylococcic infections), strepto- 

 cocci and, less frequently, the pneumococcus, the colon 

 bacillus, the typhoid bacillus and others. In foul and 

 dirty wounds anaerobic bacilli, alone or associated with 

 the foregoing, play a prominent role. 



The evidence is overwhelming that micro-organisms 

 produce suppuration and septic conditions, but aseptic 

 mechanical injury alone does riot seem to be capable of 

 inducing pus production. Some sterile chemical agents 

 can also induce suppuration under particular conditions. 

 Thus mercury produces suppuration in the dog, but not 

 in the rabbit ; silver nitrate (5 per cent, solution) has a 

 similar action. Ammonia fails to produce pus ; it is 

 either absorbed without damage, or if in stronger solution 

 produces necrosis of the tissues. Turpentine produces 

 large sterile abscesses in carnivora, and Brieger's cada- 

 verine is likewise stated to set up suppuration. 



Sterilised cultures (above a certain amount) of the 

 Micrococcus pyogenes and a crystalline body, phlogosin, 

 obtained by Leber from its cultures, produce abscesses 

 on inoculation. Buchner was also able, by warming 

 various bacteria with 0-5 per cent, caustic potash, to 

 obtain a solution containing protein which was power- 

 fully pyogenic, and Nannotti found that sterilised pus 

 had a similar property. Sterile chemical agents are, 

 therefore, able to set up suppuration, but it must be 

 clearly recognised that suppuration and septic complica- 



