716 
S. WH1TBECK. 
was bv the application of antiseptic agents, as corrosive sub¬ 
limate, carbolic acid and other antiseptic agents, in solution 
of sufficient strength to kill the organism and yet not injure 
the tissue. Although it has been shown that certain sub¬ 
stances, like croton oil and petroleum may cause inflammation, 
they run a certain definite course, while inflammations depend¬ 
ing upon microbes are of less definite character and show a 
tendency to extend to adjoining structures.. Long before the 
specific micro-organisms of suppuration were discovered, 
living organisms, called by some animalcules, but now known 
to be of vegetable nature, were found in pus and believed to 
be the cause of suppuration. Thus Klebs in 1865 detected 
cocci in pus taken from the uriniferous tubules in cases of 
pyelonephritis which followed suppurative cystitis. The 
same author in 1872 again referred to the same micro-organ¬ 
ism which he had previously described, showing that it exist¬ 
ed in the tissue and organs which were the seat of suppurative 
inflammation before pus had formed. He also placed great 
stress on the fact that only local inflammation resulted from 
local infection, but when the germs entered the circulation 
grave symptoms of septic infection followed. In 1881 Ogsten an¬ 
nounced the results of his examination of sixty-nine abscesses. 
In seventeen of these cocci were found, arranged in chains 
and are now termed Streptococcus. In thirty-one cocci were 
found arranged in groups ; these are now known as Staphylo¬ 
coccus. Both kinds were found in sixteen, while in a number 
of so-called cold abscesses micro-organisms were absent. 
From this time on the work done was mostly in isolation and 
classification of the different germs, based on their physiologi¬ 
cal characters and microscopical appearance. Following is 
a list of microbes of suppuration, those most frequently 
found coming first. 
Staphylococcus pyogenes var. aureus, Rosenbach. 
Staphylococcus pyogenes var. albus , Rosenbach. 
Staphylococcus pyogenes var. flavescens , Guttmen. 
Staphylococcus pyogenes var. citreus , Passett. 
Bacillus pyocyaneus, Gessard. 
Bacillus festidus , Trevisan. 
Streptococctis pyogenes, Rosenbach. 
