196 INFLAMMATORY AND SUPPURATIVE CONDITIONS. 



WSm-: 



entrance from the latter being especially numerous. In most 

 cases they are killed by the action of the healthy serum or 

 cells of the body, and no harm results. If, however, there be 

 a local weakness, they may settle in that part and produce sup- 

 puration, and from this other parts of the body may be infected. 

 Such a supposition as this is necessary to explain many inflam- 

 matory and suppurative conditions met with clinically. In some 

 cases of multiple suppurations due to staphylococcus infection, 

 which we have had the opportunity to examine, only an ap- 

 parently unim- 

 portant surface 

 lesion was pres- 

 ent ; whilst in 

 others no lesion 

 could be found 

 to explain the 

 origin of the 

 infection. The 

 tonsils may at 

 certain times be 

 the portals of 

 entry for sundry 

 bacteria giving 

 rise to suppura- 

 tive conditions, 

 or to those of 

 general infec- 



FlG. 74. — Secondary infeclion ot a glomerulus of kidney by . ^^, 



the staphylococcus aureus, in a case of ulcerative endocarditis, t^l*^^* ^ nC term 



The cocci (stained darkly) are seen plugging the capillaries and cvybtO^CUctic has 



also lying free. The glomerulus is much swollen, infiltrated by t 1 i 



leucocytes, and partly necrosed. been applied by 



Paraffin section; stained by Gram's method and Bismarck- some writers tO 

 brown. X300. 



such cases in 

 which the original point of infection cannot be found, but its use 

 is scarcely necessary. 



The paths of secondary infection may b^ iveniently sum- 

 marised thus : First, by lymphatics. In this way the lymphatic 

 glands may be infected, and also serous sacs in relation to the 

 organs where the primary lesion exists. Second, by natural 

 channels, such as the ureters and the bile-ducts, the spread 

 being generally associated with an inflammatory condition of the 



