490 



decomposition from contact ; and were we able so distinctly 

 to see the state of the air in the neighbourhood of stagnant 

 drains, &c., we should, on the same principle, be able to 

 explain the reason why meats and other articles of food kept 

 near to such places so soon become tainted. It inevitably 

 arises from small portions of this putrefying compound being 

 condensed by the moist surface of the flesh, and which causes 

 it to undergo a change. 



With these considerations before us, we shall now be 

 able to form some conception of what really takes place 

 when such substances are conveyed into the living animal 

 system ; for that a something, existing in the air of certain 

 localities, entirely foreign to its natural constituent, must 

 be conveyed into the lungs during respiration, is so clearly 

 demonstrated by a number of facts as to amount to an 

 absolute certainty; and that the introduction of matters 

 into the blood in a state of putrefaction is capable of in- 

 ducing a putrid state in some of the animal fluids, is evident 

 from the dangerous and often fatal effects produced by dis- 

 section wounds. In this case the decomposition commences 

 at the point where the poison was inserted, and extends, 

 unless checked by timely aid, through the whole system. In 

 some instances even the introduction of putrefying matters 

 into the stomach has produced death. The poisonous sau- 

 sages of Germany were found to contain no matters which, 

 in an ordinary way, could be considered injurious to health, 

 but were undergoing a peculiar kind of decomposition, which, 

 being communicated to the system when taken as food, 

 produced a wasting disease and ultimately death. The kind 

 of decomposition induced in the latter case, or the kind of 

 disease, is quite different to the former; they both arise 

 from putrefaction, but the modus operandi of the change 

 is different. Now, if the introduction of such poisonous 

 matters directly into the blood, or even through the medium 



