SEPSIS ASEPSIS — ^ANTISEPSIS 



pus from acute abscesses, but are less virulent 

 than the staphylococcus pyogenes aureus. 



Streptococcus Pyogenes. One of the 

 most frequent causes of peritonitis after sur- 

 gical operations (post operative peritonitis) is 

 said to be the germ streptococcus pyogenes. It 

 is found also in puerperal endometritis (inflam- 

 mation of the mucous membrane lining the 

 uterus after a child is born) ; in ulcerative en- 

 docarditis (inflarnmation of the membrane 

 lining the heart accompanied by ulceration), 

 and is also believed to be the cause of general 

 septicaemia (general poisoning of the system 

 due to bacteria in the blood). 



DiPLOCOCCUS Pneumonia. This micro- 

 organism,, or germ, is found in empyema 

 (formation of pus in a cavity), and in acute 

 abscesses. 



Bacillus Tetani. Surgeons always fear 

 the bacillus of tetanus in accidental wounds, 

 particularly those which have been exposed to 

 danger of infection from the dust of streets, 

 stables, or cellars. 



Sepsis^ Asepsis and Antisepsis. Sepsis is 

 the result of the gathering of bacteria into the J/'lepsJ^^^ 

 blood. Bacteria, as we have already said in a 

 previous chapter, is the name given by 

 scientists to the large field or group of vege- 

 table micro-organisms we commonly hear 



sppkfn of as "germs" or "microbes," 

 jog 



