1883.] On the lnfectivity of the Blood and other Fluids. 461 



died in between twelve and eighteen honrs with appearances similar 

 to the first case, but less severe ; the same organism occurred in the 

 peritoneal exudation, but none elsewhere. Two other animals were 

 also injected at the same time with respectively 0*0044 and 0*0022 

 cub. centim. of the same fluid diluted, but neither was appreciably 

 affected. It thus appeared that the inflammatory exudation fluid of 

 the first generation originating infection is fatally infective in quan- 

 tities of from 0*022 cub. centim., but not in 0*0044 cub. centim. To 

 continue the infection through subsequent generations, 0*05 cub. 

 centim. of case No. 2 was injected into another animal, which likewise 

 died in about thirty hours, and was examined immediately, the same 

 hypereemia with exudation and the occurrence of numerous organisms 

 was found; of this serum, 0*05 cub. centim. diluted, was injected into 

 another animal, .No. 7, which survived, without being materially 

 affected, thereby showing that the infective virulence of the fluids is 

 variable, and that in the third generation of successive infection there 

 is at least no gain in virulence from the first, in which it was fatal in 

 less than half the quantity that was here without material effect. 

 Infection being thus lost, it was again originated in another series of 

 experiments by injecting 0*22 cub. centim. of a dilute solution of 

 ammonia into the peritoneal cavity of another guinea-pig, which died 

 within twenty-four hours, and was examined some time after death 

 with very much the same appearances as in the first case recorded 

 above, though here the serum was more deeply sanguineous and more 

 coagulable ; the same organisms were found to be present. Of this 

 fluid 0*05 cub. centim. was injected into another animal, No. 9, 

 without, however, producing any appreciable effect; thus again 

 showing that in the same generation of infection, viz., here in the 

 first, the virulence of the septic product is variable ; it was therefore 

 necessary to work with larger quantities. In a fresh series of experi- 

 ments infection was again originated by the injection of a solution of 

 ammonia into another animal, No. 10, which died in manner similar 

 to the former. Of the exudation fluid in this case 0*22 cub. centim. 

 diluted, was injected into No. 11, which died in between eight and 

 nine hours after; another, No. 12, which received by injection 0*055 

 cub. centim., died in between twelve and twenty hours ; subsequently 

 0*022 cub. centim. of the same fluid, of No. 11, was injected into 

 another animal, No. 13, which remained without being materially 

 affected, beyond, as in other cases which survived, some rise of the 

 rectal temperature, which, however, in these animals is not sufficiently 

 constant normally, for variations in it to give any reliable indications, 

 unless very marked. In healthy animals I have found it fluctuate 

 from very slight causes, such as fright, being handled, &c, between 

 97° F. and 101° F. Other animals which here received injections of 

 smaller quantities than the above all remained similarly unaffected. 



