^5. 



ons than DK: 



possible [c- 

 from wit 





y«n 



itioned,ast 

 3rms '. 



ia are ako & 



als, where 

 tics of cette 



is the f 



]^' 



ous 

 ,oned by a* 



these p 



■i 



free 



from 



i^' 



a the ifl 



' . the'"' 



THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 



347 



germs fall upon 



suitable situations which are in a 

 condition favourable to their growth. Even here, how- 

 ever, the conjoint influence of predisposing and exciting 

 causes of disease must come into play. So that the 

 question is whether, in certain cases, the "^predisposing' 

 causes may not be sufficiently potent to generate the 

 disease, without the aid of any '^ exciting ' cause in the 

 form of pre-existing Fungus-germs, 

 a general character, in addition to the many facts and 

 observations already alluded to, tends to favour this 

 ire most pro; view— more especially in the face of the insuperable 



difficulties which beset those who are exclusive advocates 

 of a ' germ-theory.' 



In reference to the above-mentioned skin-diseases in 



Much 



'fficial layeisc the human subject. Dr. Tilbury Fox ^ calls attention to 



the fact of the extreme frequency with which the hair- 

 follicles are the seats of the first manifestation of the 

 morbid product j and says that, for the most part, Hhe 



itself into and 



very first spot at which any perceptible fungus can b 

 detected is a little way inside the follicles, near the 

 opening of the sebaceous glands/ Thence the fungus- 

 growth extends in various directions — into the follicle 



upon the hair, and into the imme- 

 diately adjacent portions of skin. In other cases, as in 

 ^chloasma/ it is the substance of the epithelial cells 

 over the chest or abdomen which is the seat of the 

 fungus spores and filaments. 



Certain altered states of secretion from the hair- 



^ ' Skin-Diseases of Parasitic Origin/ 1863, p. 43. 



I 



