56 Dr. BealEj on the Germinal Matter of the Blood: 
anotliei^ and give rise to clianges resembling those which have 
abeady occurred in the individual first affected. 
It seems to me very probable that living matter allied to these 
so-called colourless corpuscles^ including the small masses 
of germinal matter before described^ are the agents which 
are directly concerned in the introduction and distribution of 
various so-called animal poisons. In this way a reasonable 
explanation may be offered of the marvellous results following 
the communication of small-pox as well as of the protective 
influence of vaccination. Germinal matter from vaccine 
lymph is represented in fig. 10. 
Nor are there any facts which are incompatible with the 
view that in such diseases there is an actual transference of 
living particles from the diseased organism to that which, is 
to be affected in a similar way. We know not how very mi- 
nute such active living particles may be ; but we do know 
that living vegetable organisms exist which are only just 
visible by a power of 5000 linear^ and we are justified in 
inferring that active living independent particles exist which 
are too minute to be seen. Pus- corpuscles and ordinary 
lymph-corpuscles are too large to be carried through the air, 
but minute particles may be detached from any of these bodies 
not larger than the germs of fungi which we know exist in 
the atmosphere^ and are thus transferred from one place to 
another. No doubt the great majority of such minute par- 
ticles of living matter, in a peculiarly active state of vitality, 
would die long before they reached a new locality favorable 
to their propagation, but a few might escape and, meeting 
with a favorable surface, would germinate. 
Warmth, moist air, little change in the atmosphere, are 
conditions under which the life of such minute particles of 
living matter would probably be preserved, and what are the 
conditions favorable to the propagation and spread of many 
of those contagious diseases which have long been attributed 
to the transference of matter which acts like ^' ferments ?" 
It seems to me probable that many such contagious diseases 
are due not to the propagation and transference of vegetable 
organisms, but to small particles of living animal matter which 
have descended from the germinal matter of one organism and 
have been transferred to another. There is even a condition of 
germinal matter derived from the body of an animal in which 
it may be transported without destruction, and may grow upon 
the organism of man. If these notions be true, it must be 
possible that some of these particles may become nearly dry 
without their vitality being destroyed. We know that many 
of the Jower and simpler organisms may undergo this change 
