HAMILTON SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATION 69 



firm wall of this protective material with the interior hard 

 and stonelike. If, however, the attempt of nature to 

 circumscribe and wall off such diseased aretis be incomplete 

 or imperfect, as often is the case, then the bacilli break 

 through, travel along the lymphatics until they find a favor- 

 able sit<; for localization, where a repetition of the process just 

 described takes place, oi-, travelling on still further, become 

 lodged in the lymphatic glands. Here they may become 

 arrested, the proliferation of cells, accumulation of fluid, 

 softenmg and enlargement of the glands, showing that the 

 tissues have been making a vigorous effort to accomplish 

 their destruction, or should the conditions be unfavorable or 

 the reaction of the tissues not good, then the bacilli are 

 carried from gland to gland each in succession one after the 

 other, being unable to arrest their onward march until the 

 virus ultimately lodges in other organs. 



Here follows a short explanation of how the disease 

 spreads by the blood vessels : 



Having explaineil, then, the different methods by which 

 this disease gains a foothold in the human system, it might 

 perhaps be not out of place just here to refer to the different 

 stages of its advancement, and to try to understand how it 

 is that a patient who has had consumption for some 

 considerable time either becomes to all intents and purposes 

 cured, and is able to resunie his accustomed occupation, or on 

 the other hand suddenly begins to go rapidly down hill and 

 dies within perhaps a few weeks. 



We called attention previously to the accompanying 

 symptoms of an incipient case of phthisis, the congestion of 

 the blood vessels, the shedding of the epithelium from the 

 walls of the tiny air vesicles, the accumulation of fluid, the 

 gradual consolidation of the small masses nuiking a suitable 

 breeding ground for the reception of the bacillus. If iit this 

 stage our patient is placed under circumstances conducive to 

 a proper reaction of the tissues, is given suflicient nourish- 

 ment, rest, sunlight, fresh air, and if the waste products of 

 the body are properly and regularly thrown off, then the 



