50 PRESENCE AND EFFECTS OF PUS IN THE BLOOD. 
termed, or suppression of the pustules, is a bad symptom ; and this 
is so far true, that the worst cases of this disease are those in 
which there is great swelling of the integuments without the due 
formation of pus in the usual situation. In every instance in 
which I have examined it, I found pus in the blood of patients 
affected with small-pox. 
In the fourth and fifth experiments the pus which was injected 
into the serous sacs would appear to have been absorbed. A more 
careful inquiry, however, would be requisite to warrant this con- 
clusion; for, in some experiments made by Dr. Davy, the quan- 
tity of matter injected seemed to be increased; and I have since 
made an experiment with the same result. 
The absorption of pus being the cause of hectic fever is an old 
hypothesis, wdiich the detection of pus in the blood in cases of 
chronic abscess and in pulmonary consumption might be supposed 
to confirm. It does not seem necessary, however, to assign two 
causes for one effect. When pus in large quantities is incessantly 
forming in the capillaries, it is easy to imagine how it may become 
mixed with the blood. 
I have related instances of pus in the blood, independently of 
suppuration out of the vessels: this fact appears to be of some 
importance, for it must be inferred that the pus was not absorbed, 
but formed in the blood. 
If it be objected to some of the foregoing views, that pus and 
extravasated blood are often absorbed without any ill effects, and 
that no constitutional disturbance may ensue after inflammation 
and the consequent effusion of fibrine, it may be remarked, first, 
that pus and blood are probably absorbed in a modified state; 
and, secondly, that a small quantity of pus, like other poisons, 
gradually added to the circulation, may not be productive of bad 
symptoms. The sixth and seventh experiments may be cited in 
illustration. It is probable that the degree and type of the fever 
induced by the presence of pus in the blood may be found to de- 
pend on the extent to which it may be contaminated. 
Of the inflammatory, hectic, and low typhoid fever, it seems 
hardly necessary to observe, that they appear to be all compre- 
hended under the common designation of constitutional irritation 
in the interesting work of Mr. Travers, which I had not read till 
my attention was directed to it by Mr. Liston after this paper was 
written. Under the term typhoid, I have included that grave form 
of fever in which the vital powers sink rapidly, as I believe, from 
somewhat sudden and extensive mixture of pus with the blood, as 
sometimes occurs after operations on veins, or amputations, or even 
independently of wounds. The patient seldom complains of much 
pain ; he has, among other symptoms, dilated nostril, flushed face, 
