270 Proceedings of Royal Society of Edinburgh. [ses 
produced by living pathogenic microbes are the real cause of disease, 
the hypodermic injection method steps in, for many substances are 
known to interfere with the action of soluble ferments. The 
destruction of the microbes prevents the formation of soluble 
zymases or alkaloids, and any given contagious disease (under these 
circumstances) would be at an end. Nature would then have a 
chance of restoring to their ‘ normal standard the lowered vitality 
which enabled the microbes to get a footing. 5 ” 
Conclusion. 
There is little doubt that the most rational method of treating 
contagious diseases (whose microbes reside in the blood) is by the 
injection of some germicidal agent. When the microbes are 
destroyed the disease would be at an end. 
My investigations on this subject are still incomplete, but I 
sincerely hope that they will be found interesting and full of sug- 
gestions for the pathologist and physician. 
My apology for bringing them (in their present incomplete 
condition) before the Society, is in the words of Lavoisier : — “A 
man would never give anything to the public if he waited till he 
had reached the goal of his undertaking, which is ever appearing 
close at hand, and yet ever slipping farther and farther as he draws 
nearer. 55 
On the Solution of the Three-Term Numerical Equation 
of the wth Degree. By the Hon. Lord M‘Laren. 
(Read March 17, 1890.) 
The method of solution developed in this paper, while perfectly 
general in its character as regards three-term equations, may also 
be considered as a solution of the complete equation of the 5th 
degree; because, by known methods resulting from the theory of 
equations, every equation of the 5th degree is reducible to three 
terms. 
I may be permitted here to make an introductory observation on 
the supposed superiority of an algebraic to a numerical solution. 
The algebraic solution has undoubtedly an aspect of theoretical 
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