106 BACTERIOLOGY. 
accelerating the development and thus the disappear- 
ance of the inflammation A peculiar effect of opera- 
tive interference is noticed in the frequently observed 
beneficial result of laparotomy in tubercular peritonitis. 
Antiseptic solutions have the power of cleansing and 
rendering sterile the surfaces of a wound—that is, of 
preventing the introduction of infection. After infec- 
tion has taken place, however, it is doubtful whether 
antiseptic washing has much more direct influence 
than simple cleansing, and it certainly can have no 
bactericidal effect at any distance from the surface, 
either direct or indirect. Certain infectious diseases 
which are comparatively superficial are probably bene- 
fited by antiseptic solutions, such as gonorrhea, diph- 
theria, and other inflammations of the mucous mem- 
branes. Even here, however, it is impossible to do more 
than disinfect superficially, and in some cases any 
irritation of the tissues is apt todo more harm than 
good. In the superficial lesions of syphilis and tuber- 
culosis the local use of antiseptics is sometimes of 
great value. In these diseases the irritant effects of the 
antiseptics which stimulate the tissues may also be 
beneficial. Roux has reported that certain specific 
serums, just as certain enzymes, have some destructive 
effect on the toxic substances of other species of bac- 
teria; but this is a subject which has been as yet but 
little investigated. 
Specific immunity, or a condition of the body which 
prevents the development in it of one variety of micro- 
organisms and renders it unaffected by their bacterial 
poisons. The invasion of the body with more or less 
serious results by most micro-organisms is followed 
by a condition which for a variable period and to a 
