6 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
Bioop PoIsoNING. 
The bacteria which produce blood poisoning are called 
cocci. They are found in festered fingers, sore throats, abscesses, 
and in wounds produced on the battle-field. Some of these 
cocci are present on the healthy skin. They are the bane of 
operating surgeons, for they frequently infect his operation 
wounds. 
It has been found that it is much better to prevent the 
bacteria entering the wound made by a surgeon (aseptic 
surgery) than to allow them to enter, and then try and kill 
them with chemicals (antiseptic surgery). 
Operative surgery in civil life is mainly “‘aseptic,” but 
operative surgery in war is mainly ‘antiseptic’ because the 
bacteria have already entered the wounds, and attempts 
are made to kill them with chemicals. 
Decay oF TEETH. 
The decay of the teeth is very largely brought about by 
the action of bacteria. The public is gradually bemg educated 
to the great importance of maintaining the health of the 
nation by attending to the children’s teeth. In the South 
African War 2,500 were invalided owing to defective teeth, 
at a cost to the country of a quarter of a million pounds.* 
The Warden of the Dental Hospital told me to-day that 7,000 
soldiers have received dental treatment in the Liverpool area 
since the outbreak of war. This excludes the large numbers 
treated by Army dentists. 
Lock-JAW oR TETANUS. 
The germ of Tetanus or Lock-jaw was first cultivated 
by a Japanese, Kitasato; it has a characteristic appearance, 
being shaped like a drum-stick, the drum-stick head bemg 
* Lancet, 1915, Vol. I, p. 1053. 
