I 
759 
1 
Analysis of Continental Journals. 
By G. Fleming, M.R.C.V.S., Royal Engineers. 
THE PHYSIOLOGY OF VIRUS AND VIRULENT MALADIES. 
By M. A. Chaveau. 
(Continued from p. 509.) 
I. Of the method to be followed in determining Viruliferous 
elements. 
All who have sought for the cause to which virulent 
humours owe their specific activity, have commenced with 
attempting to discover their composition by chemical and mi¬ 
croscopical analysis; and, no doubt, this primary initiation is 
absolutely necessary. But, in general, there is too much 
reliance placed upon the nature and importance of the results 
that may be obtained from this study. Starting wfith the 
idea that the specific activity of virulent humours should be 
due to the presence of chemical or organic elements equally 
specific, they are examined for elements which are no¬ 
where else to be found, with the intention of attributing to 
them, and without any other supplementary evidence, the viru¬ 
lent activity with which they are endowed. We hasten to an¬ 
nounce that this mode of proceeding, however ably conducted 
it may be, can produce no satisfactory result. Here is what I 
have to remark in the first place : no matter how carefully the 
analysis of pathological products may be made, it must be 
admitted that the most dissimilar humours often present the 
same characters as to their composition. This identity, cer¬ 
tainly, may only be apparent, and be due to the relative 
imperfection of the procedure in chemical or microscopical 
analysis at our disposal; but it nevertheless has the same 
consequence as if it were demonstrated in an absolute manner. 
If a humour completely destitute of specific activity is found 
to be the same in composition as one that is virulent, it must 
be justifiable to renounce the idea of drawing from the com¬ 
parative observation of these two humours the faintest indi¬ 
cation as to the cause of activity in the latter. 
But taking, for instance, the case in which a virulent 
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XLV. 
