vi Preface 



any lesion in its path or causing any disease or sign of dis- 

 ease. 



This treatise is built upon the belief that abortion is only 

 an incident in the ravages of infections existing within the 

 pregnant uterus at the date of conception, or deposited with 

 the semen at coitus. The infection is not specific, is not 

 limited to one species of bacterium, invades organs other 

 than the uterus, and involves both sexes and all ages. This 

 general infection causes a long list of phenomena or lesions. 

 The basic conflict of view with the majority of investiga- 

 tors will inevitably draw much unfavorable criticism. In 

 order to justify the views stated', controversial matter has 

 been included. This is regretted because it increases the 

 size of the volume, and because some highly esteemed col- 

 leagues may erroneously regard such statements as personal 

 reflections. 



The conflicting views have served to delay publication. A 

 belief so long and thoroughly entrenched as that of specific 

 infectious abortion can not be overthrown quickly. Neither 

 would the overthrow of what I believe an error be a gain 

 unless a foundation were ready upon which a more valuable 

 structure could be erected. I made the first open attack 

 upon the specific infectious abortion theory in 1912, and that 

 has been followed periodically from various angles. But 

 external attack has not been as eff'ective as internal disinte- 

 grating forces. The champions of a specific infectious abor- 

 tion have admitted that at least several difi'erent species of 

 bacteria may and do cause abortion in a given species, of 

 animal, and that th« lesions caused by the several bacterial 

 forms are not differentiable clinically or macroscopically. 

 A most serious drawback to the theory has been its failure 

 in practical application. It was announced twenty-five 

 years ago that, since the cause of infectious abortion had 

 been woven, it could be controlled. The twenty-five years 

 which have elapsed have seen no progress in the control of 

 abortion based upon the specific theory. The prevalence of 

 abortion is greater today than at any prior date in history. 

 During the past decade there has been developing gradu- 



