516 
VERANUS A. MOORE. 
isolated from the plates two bacilli were capable of and did pro¬ 
duce suppurating lesions when injected subcutaneously in the 
horse. 
Without entering into wearisome details, the results of our 
work on the disinfection of the skin of the horse indicates that 
the five per cent, solution of carbolic acid and the alcoholic 
solutions of corrosive sublimate are the disinfectants tested 
which have a sufficiently penetrating power to destroy in most 
cases the pyogenic bacteria in the deeper layers of the skin. 
Several solutions used more or less commonly as skin disinfect¬ 
ors do not seem, in the strengths employed, to be of value in 
this connection. It is presumed, but not determined, that most 
if not all of these solutions are fatal to the bacteria which come 
in contact with them. It is very likely that it will be very dif¬ 
ficult, if not impossible, to find solutions that will in all cases 
sterilize the field for operation. 
It is instructive to note the close resemblance between the 
bacteria of the deeper layers of the skin and those found in the 
lesions in such affections as septic peritonitis, scirrhous cord, or 
botryomvcosis, closed subcutaneous abscesses, infectious cellu¬ 
litis, and many other nonspecific infections. The bacterial 
findings* in fistulous withers and poll-evil show a similar rela¬ 
tionship to the pyogenic bacteria of the integument. The hy¬ 
pothesis is suggested by present results that possibly these trou¬ 
blesome lesions are the result of the setting free in the living 
tissues, possibly from injuries of many kinds, certain of the bac¬ 
teria deeply seated in the integument. However, the results of 
many observations will be necessary before positive conclusions 
are warranted. With the other lesions mentioned, the possible 
relation of their cause to the bacteria of the skin is more clearly 
indicated. The infection from the hands of the operator, or 
from unsterilized instruments is, of course, a very large factor in 
* Moore. American Veterinary Review, Jan.-March, 1900. 
Gay. Ibid ., March, 1901, p. 877. 
Gay found streptococci associated with either the white or yellow micrococcus (both 
in two instances) in nine cases ot fistulous withers and poll-evil. 
