847 
Translations and Beviews of Continental 
Veterinary Journals, 
By W. Ernes, M.R.C.V.S., London. 
Ann ales de Meclecine Veterinaire, May , 1864. 
MORBID FERMENTS AND THEIR NEUTRALIZATION BY 
THE ALKALINE SULPHITES; BEING AN ACCOUNT OF 
SEVENTY EXPERIMENTS MADE BY DOCTOR GIOVANNI 
POLLI, OF MILAN. FROM THE ITALIAN OF DOCTOR 
JANSSENS, OF BRUSSELS. 
In a series of articles published in 1861-2-4, the Belgian 
medical press has drawn attention to the scientific principles 
which serve as the basis of the new intro-chemical doctrine 
formulated and defended by Dr, G. Polli. The theory of 
ferments played a very important part in the pathology of 
the last century, of which modern science has availed itself. 
Stripped of its exaggerations, it is based on the most 
recent discoveries in organic chemistry and experimental 
pathology. The therapeutic applications to which it has 
already led seem to presage a revolution, both in the inter¬ 
pretation and the treatment of most of the acute dyscrasic 
affections which are constituted by a qualitative alteration of 
the blood, and against which the so-called classic medicine 
has hitherto been powerless, and has only shown the incer¬ 
titude of science and the impotence of our art. For these 
reasons we are convinced that we are rendering a service to 
science, as well as to our colleagues and humanity generally, 
in propagating the knowledge obtained by these experi¬ 
ments, which support the doctrine of catalytic maladies and 
morbid ferments. They serve to . remove all doubts on 
the efficacy of the alkaline sulphites either to prevent or 
combat the special alteration of the blood produced by 
morbid ferments. To this end w 7 e publish now the first 
essays made by M. Polli on dogs, to show that sulphites 
administered to an animal really counteract the toxic effects 
of certain substances which, introduced into the blood, have 
the power to develop a catalytic malady. The results of 
these experiments practised, in animd vili , united to the 
numerous therapeutic applications of the alkaline sulphites 
during the last three years, and which we have recorded in a 
recent article in the Presse Medicate Beige , prove to every 
impartial individual that the doctrine of M. Polli cannot be 
compared with those speculative theories which are built at 
pleasure, and are destined to live only a day; but merits, on 
