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H. F. Formad, 



ments for, the infectiousness of phthisis and for the existence of a 

 specific organism, the Bacillus tuberculosis, I beg leave to announce 

 briefly the main facts of my researches on the minute structure of 

 connective tissue in the so-called scrofulous persons and animals. I 

 have devoted over four years to this special study, making many ex- 

 periments on animals. In this research I have been aided at various 

 times by a number of able and diligent assistants, of whom I desire 

 to mention in particular Drs. George H. Rose, 0. C. Robinson, Henry 

 Wile, Wm. Gray, and J. W. Blackburn, and Messrs. G. A. Bodamer, 

 W. Chrystie, and W. H. Mercur. I desire to express my thanks to 

 these gentlemen. It would have been impossible for me alone to con- 

 trol and utilize the enormous material at my disposal. 



Should the results and the facts obtained, to be narrated below, 

 prove to others as conclusive as they do to me, and be similarly inter- 

 preted, then the received doctrine of phthisis and general tuberculosis 

 will have to undergo some decided modification. 



In the time allowed me this evening it would be impossible to 

 record in all the steps and details of the investigation. Desiring to 

 explain the character of the research at once, I cannot do better than, 

 with your permission, to reverse matters, announcing first the de- 

 ductions from the research, and then to follow, as far as time and 

 space will permit, with a brief account of the investigation and of 

 the arguments which, to my mind, prove and justify these conclusions. 



My researches clearly show the following points: 



1 st - The predisposition to tuberculosis in some men and animals, 

 the so-called scrofulous habit, lies in the anatomy of the connective 

 tissue of the individual, the peculiarity being a narrowness of the 

 lymphs-paces, and their partial obliteration by cellular elements. 



2 d - Only beings with such anomalous structure of connective tissue 

 can have primary tuberculosis, and such animals invariably do be- 

 come tuberculous from any injury resulting in inflammation, or from 

 repeated injuries. 



3 d - Scrofulous beings can have no other than a tuberculous in- 

 flammation, although it may remain local and harmless. 



4 th - Non-scrofulous men or animals may acquire the predisposition 

 to tuberculosis through malnutrition and confinement, the latter 



