Prof. H. J. Detmers on a Pathogenic ScMzophyte. 477 



presents an entirely different aspect, and admits explanation, 

 if low and minute forms of organic life, such as the Schizo- 

 phytes of Swine-plague, which, by developing and multiplying, 

 finally destroy or exhaust in an animal organism the condi- 

 tions necessary to future development and propagation, con- 

 stitute the cause and the infectious principle {cf. an article 

 entitled " The Destruction of Germs," in ' Popular Science 

 Monthly,' communicated in extract in R. Hitchcock's ^ Micro- 

 scopical Journal,' Nov. 1880). 



7. If some part or organ of a pig infected with Swine- 

 plague happens to be in a state of congestion, such a part in- 

 variably attracts the infectious principle, and becomes a pro- 

 minent, if not the principal, seat of the morbid process — a fact 

 difficult of explanation, unless the infectious principle is some- 

 thing solid or corporeal. 



8. The adversaries of the so-called " germ theory," as 

 they are pleased to call it, demand absolute proof of those who 

 claim that certain infectious diseases owe their origin or exist- 

 ence and spreading to very minute forms of organic life. 

 They cannot deny that these forms exist, can be found, and 

 have been shown ; but they forget to show their virus, poison, 

 fluidum, or chemical something. Does the latter exist only 

 in their imagination? If the adversaries of the so-called 

 " germ theory " demand absolute proof on our side of the 

 question, let them set a good example and furnish it on their 

 side, or only produce their virus, fluidum, or whatever it may 

 be, and we will gracefully acknowledge that we are mistaken 

 and have laboured in vain. 



9. With the very best objectives ever made, and a fair 

 ability to handle the microscope, I have never been able 

 to find any thing identical with the Swine-plague Schizophytes 

 in the blood and tissues of other healthy animals. When 

 I commenced my investigation, the best objective at my dis- 

 posal was a very fair 1-9 four-system immersion-lens of 

 Hartnack and Prazmowski ; but I soon found it be insufficient, 

 and procured a 1-16 immersion of the same makers. This, 

 too, after a while, did not give satisfaction, and 1 received a 

 1-12 (nominally 1-10) glycerine immersion of R. B. Tolles, 

 which that renowned maker afterwards exchanged for a du- 

 plex 1-10 homogeneous immersion. This latter objective 

 proved to be a very superior lens, and gave me glimpses of 

 things of which I desired to see a little more — it showed 

 flagella on Bacillus subtilis, which I had never seen with any 

 of the other objectives ; and so 1 thought, with a higher power, 

 and a still more perfectly corrected leas, if a more perfect cor- 

 rection could be made, 1 might be able to see more plainly 



Ann. <& Mag. N. Eist. Ser. 5. Vol. vii. 35 



