460 

of treatment (good as it may be, irrespective of the germ- 
theory on which it has been based) pressed upon our 
attention on the assumption that the germs of putre‘action 
and the germs of disease are living organisms  simi’ar 
in nalure. The strange persistency with which this view is advo- 
cated is not a little surprising, when it entails the obvious contra- 
diction that germs which do, under all ordinary circumstances, 
develop into well-known organic forms, should, when concerned 
in the production of the diseases in question, induce all the 
effects supposed to depend upon their prodigious growth and 
multiplication, and yet never develop, never become visible. 
And, whilst Bacteria and other organisms with which the un- 
known disease-germs are compared, flourish and reproduce 
in the much-vaunted, germ-killing, carbolised lotions ;* still 
carbolic acid continues to be recommended solely on account of 
its germ-killing powers, and the theory on which the practice 
is based is thought to derive support from the results ob- 
tained by the use of this agent. Surely no theory could be 
weaker on which to base a successful method of treatment ; and 
if, as its distinguished originator says,+ its general acceptance is 
principally hindered by the ‘‘ doubt of its fundamental principle,” 
then I would deliberately say that the blame, if any, cannot 
fairly be said to lie with those ‘‘ who have opposed the germ- 
theory of putrefaction.” The ‘‘ Antiseptic System” of treat- 
ment needs no support from a germ-theory ; it can be surely and 
unassailably based upon the broader physico-chemical doctrines of 
Liebig.+ 
The last blow, however, seems given to the ‘‘ germ-theory ”’ 
of disease, when we are told that the blood and the secretions in 
sheep-pox are not infective, though this disease is most closely 
allied to, and even more virulently contagious than, human 
small-pox. If germs had existed in ths general disease, and 
their multiplication was the cause of it, then most assuredly would 
they have existed in the blood and in other fluids of the body ; 
and yet, as Prof. Burdon Sanderson tells us,§ ‘‘In sheep-pox all 
the diseased parts are infecting, while no result follows from the 
inoculation either of the blood or of any of the secretions ; the 
liquid expressed from the pulmonary nodules has been found by 
M. Chauveau to be extremely virulent—certainly not less so than 
the juice obtained from the pustules.” Now, although ia other 
of these diseases the blood does undoubtedly exhibit infective 
properties, still the ascertained existence of even one exceptional 
case amongst maladies so contagious as sheep-pox, seems to be 
absolutely irreconcilable with the theory of the ‘‘ germ-theory,” 
more especially when this theory was started principally to ex- 
plain the phenomena of such highly contagious diseases. || 
vegetable organisms the germs have nothing todo. They have originated 
in man’s organism. Man himself has imposed the conditions favourable to 
their development. Man alone is responsible for their origin. Human intel- 
ligence, energy, and self-sacrifice may succeed in extirpating them, and may 
discover the means of preventing the origin of new forms not now in exis- 
ence.” This is undoubtedly a very much less objectionable form of the 
germ theory, though much additional evidence would be needed before we 
could accept the view that contagious diseases are due to the rapid multipli- 
cation of the contagious particles within the body of the creature affected. 
The non-contagiousness of the blood is as irreconcilable with this as with 
the other form of the germ theory. 
* See “ Modes of Origin of Lowest Organisms,” 1871, p. 85. And ina 
recently published paper ‘‘On the Relative Powers of Various Substances 
in Preventing the Generation of Animalcules on the Development of the 
Germs,” Dr. Dougall says: ‘If, as is alleged, germs are the source of 
putrefaction, then the strongest preventives »zxs¢ be the best antiseptics, and 
vice versé. Now, asseen in the table, carbolic acid occupies a very mediocre 
Pe as a preventive, therefore it is legitimate to conclude that it stands no 
igher as an antiseptic,” p. 13. 
+ British Medical Fournal, August 26, 1871, p. 225. 
t These doctrines do not seem to have been adequately grasped by Prof. 
Lister. Fragments of organic matter are believed by Liebig to be capable 
of acting as ferments ; he, however, holds that their potency is deteriorated 
by heat almost as much as are the qualities of livng ferments. The experi- 
ments with boiled fluids in bent-neck flasks, therefore, upon which Prof. 
Lister so strongly relies in proof of the germ-theory, prove absolutely nothing 
as between the two theories of fermentation of Liebig and of Pasteur. 
Amongst the atmospheric particles there are sure to be dead ferments in the 
form of mere organic fragments. Now the doubt that previously existed 
was, as to whether they could initiate fermentation and putrefaction, or 
whether the presence of living germs was absolutely essential. In the ex- 
periments with bent-neck flasks, both fragments and germs must be simul- 
taneously excluded or admitted to the fluids. Prof. Lister's readers might 
suppose that Liebig had no objection to his ferments being boiled, and that 
the issue lay between the relative efficiency of oxygen and living germs. 
(See Gerhardt’s Chimie Organigue, t. iv. p. 545.) 
§ Report ‘* On the Intimate Pathology of Contagion,” in Twelfth Report 
of Medical Officer of Privy Council. 
|| Inoculation with the blood of a person suffering from measles has also 
in several cases failed to reproduce the disease. The different severity of 
small-pox taken in the ordinary way, and that induced by “inoculation” of 
the matter of a small-pox pustule, is also quite inexplicable in accordance 
with the ‘‘germ theory.” 
NATURE 



[ Oct. 5, 1871 

Dr. Bastian tabulates the whole of the communicable diseases 
in the following manner :— 
PaRASITIC DISEASES AFFECTING: 
¢ External (cutaneous) surface. \ 
Internal (mucous) surfaces. 
| Closed (serous) cavities. 
Many of them Tissues of organs or parts. 
Caused and 
(Psoro- propagated by 
capable of "4 Paes z the presence 
arising “de eee Cysticerct Nematoids, )and_self-mulri- 
novo.” oe plication of 
Blood. (Bacteridia in ‘ Malignant living units, 

Pustule,’ Psorospermie in ‘pé- 
( brine,’ etc. 7 
Tissuz DISEASES. 
A, Diseasesof Internal Formed Tissues 
and of Mucous Membranes. 
/Fibro-plastic growths. 
Cancerous growths. 
All tnoculable | Tubercular growths 
and capable of) Glanders. 
arising “‘de Syphilis. 
novo.” Gonorrhcea. 
Purulent ophthalmia. 
.Diphtheriaand Croup | Principally 
Sporadic, 
B. Diseases of the Blood (principally). 
, Erysipelas. 
All OE EES | Puerperal fever. 
and capable of ) Surgical fever. 
arising ‘‘de ‘\\ Pyemia. 
novo.” Hospital gangrene. 
Rabies. 
Rheumatic fever. 
a. Dengue. 
6. Sweating sickness | Principally 
Intermittent fever. ) Endemic. 
a. Remittent fever. | 
6. Yellow fever. / 
Summer diarrhea. 
a. Choleraic — diar- 
rhoea, 
6, Cholera, 
Dysentery. 
Influenza. 
Mumps. 
Relapsing fever. 
Typhoid fever. 
Typhus fever. 
a. Cerebro - spinal 
menningitis ? 
6, Plague. 
Varicella. 
Hooping cough. 
Measles. 
| Scarlet fever, 
\Small-pox, 

Caused and 
propagated by 
chemico-phy- 
sical agencies, 
and not by 
the multiplica- 
ticn of living 
units. 
COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. 
Contagiousness 
either absent, 
little marked, 
or more or less 
virulent ; all 
probably 
capable of 
arising “ de 
novo,” 
_ Often 
«Lpidemic. 






BOOKS RECEIVED 
EnGiisH.—The Subterranean World: Dr. G. Hartwig (Longmans and 
Co,).—Or the Use of the Ophthalmoscope: T. C. Allbut (Macmillan and 
Co.) —Rudimentary Treatise on Geology; Part I., Physical: Ralph Tait 
(Lockwood and Co.). 

CONTENTS Pace 
OBSERVATIONS UPON MaGnetic Storms tn HIGHER LATITUDES « 44 
Tue Licur oF Juriter’s SATELLITES. By Rey. T. W. Wess, 
1) eon ae temo Gc om. deOmlm 6 oo 3 2 
OuR Book {SHEur” ys), G ) See wl an ae re te) Fe 443 
Letters To THE Epitor:— 
On the Solution of a Certain Geometrical Problem.—I TopDHUNTER 444 
Structurefof Fossil'Cryptogams —Prof.W. THISELTON Dyer, F.L.S. 444 
The Solar spectrum. ~ Prof. C. A. Youne . ol ete beta 445 
Eclipse Photography and the Spectroscope.—Henry Davis 445 
445 
Phenomena of Contact.—R. A. Procror, F.R.A.S. . . .. 
Oceanic; Circulation’: 07%) Wiles cs, bole lesen een ante nnn an 
Tce Pleas! Rey.’ C/A: JOoHNs, h:E:S. ie cee ee 446 
The New Dynameter . . . 446 
Notaris on Mosses.—Rey. M. J. BERKELEY, F.L.S. . . 440 
“Newspaper Science." —MEDICUS. | -) fe) Nelite) uel ie) ee seen 
FurRTHER Nores on Ceratopus. By Dr. ALBERT GiinTHER, F.R.S. 447 
On Tue BenpinG oF Gracier Ick. By Prof. J. TyNDALL, F.R.S. 447 
Tue MIGRATION OF Quart. . Pet toe th! OmCMO a nde YY) 
JARDIN) DIESSA, “ALGER COOREe neers eretmert mney omnes 447 
THe TEMPERATURE OF THE SUN. By J. ERICSSON . . . . . « 449 
igs Oe COM aE > 0 GES ars Gos lobed ofA Go og Jian 
Screntiric INTELLIGENCE FROM AMERICA. . . . . . . 2. « 454 
On THE Srupy oF Science 1n Scnoots.—No. II. By G. F. Rop- 
WELLS CIS.) Bo. Seren nae 455 
ZooLoGICAL RESULTS OF THE 1870 DREDGING EXPEDITION OF THE 
Yacut “ Norna” orr THe Coast oF SPAIN AND PortuGaL. By 
W&SaVIuieiKEnt, F.Z.Souae coeds och: ae 0) Reet RSmSnnDES Oe 
Pror. BASTIAN ON THE GERM-THEORY. . . 2... +s ss 45° 
Boos RECEIVED...) . MaMereeniien totic lcuke 1) co leh remcene mE GOa 
