THE BACTERIA IN SURGICAL LESIONS. 187 



quency ; and union by first intention is attempted 

 and often obtained in very extensive wounds, where 

 formerly it could not have been hoped for, even 

 in the cases which presented the most favorable 

 appearance. 



Let us rejoice that we can record such favorable 

 results ; and, however cloudy the present theories 

 concerning bacteria may be, let us recognize that 

 the labors of Pasteur and Cohn have at least had 

 the merit of inspiring great reforms, which are 

 subjects of just pride in the operative surgery of 

 the present day. 



Many other substances have also been praised as 

 being an obstacle to the development of germs. 

 We will only mention the permanganate of potash, 

 the hyposulphites, chlorine water ,and tincture of 

 eucalyptus, of which the action is doubtful. We 

 must still mention glycerine, which from its affinity 

 for water has the property of fettering the move- 

 ments of bacteria, and determining at their ex- 

 pense a considerable exosmosis. 



We will not return here to the subject of the 

 origin of micro-organisms, but refer the reader 

 to the chapter in which this has already been 

 treated. 



