THE STREPTOCOCCUS PYOGENES. 231 



monly known as the "pyogenic cocci" of Ogston, 

 Rosenbach, and Passet, and up to as late as 1885 were 

 believed to be the specific factors concerned in the pro- 

 duction of suppurative inflammations. Since that time, 

 however, considerable modification of this view has 

 taken place, and while they are still known to be the 

 most common causes of suppuration, they are also known 

 not to be the only causes of this process. 



With the more general application of bacteriological 

 methods to the study of the manifold conditions coming 

 under the eye of the physician, the surgeon, and the 

 pathologist, results are constantly being obtained that 

 do not accord with the view formerly held in regard to 

 the specific relation of the pyogenic cocci to all forms 

 of suppuration. There is an abundance of evidence 

 now at command to justify the opinion that there are 

 a number of organisms not commonly classed as pyo- 

 genic which may, under peculiar circumstances, assume 

 this property. For example : 



The bacillus of typhoid fever has been found in pure 

 culture in osteomyelitis of the ribs ; in acute purulent 

 otitis media ; in abscess of the soft parts ; in the pus of 

 empyema, and in localized fibro-peritonitis, either dur- 

 ing its course or as a sequela of typhoid fever. 



The bacterium coli commune has been found to be pres- 

 ent in pure culture in acute peritonitis ; in liver abscess ; 

 in purulent inflammation of the gall-bladder and ducts ; 

 in appendicitis; and Welch ^ has found it in pure cul- 

 ture in fifteen different inflammatory conditions. 



The micrococcus lanceolatus (pneumococcus) has been 

 found to be the only organism present in abscess of the 



'Welch: "Conditions Underlying ttie Infection of Wounds," American 

 Journal of the Medical Sciences, November, 1891. 



