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D. E. SALMON. 
culties, were certain that this antagonism was only apparent, and 
waited patiently for the solving of the enigma. They had not 
long to wait, for Pasteur at once took up the question and con¬ 
vinced M. Bert, in less than two months, that the results above 
stated did not conflict with the germ theory ; and M. Bert read 
a second communication before the Academie des Sciences in 
which he satisfactorily explained what had before been such a 
mystery. He found that blood containing the bacillus rods alone, 
or urine in which these were cultivated, lost all virulence both by 
the action of compressed oxygen and by that of alcohol—the 
death of the organism always meant death of the virus. Pasteur 
and Joubert had just shown that the spores of bacilli and vibrios 
may resist both of these agents; did *this not explain liow the 
disease was produced by his preparations ? To assure himself he 
examined the flakes which formed upon the addition of alcohol 
to the water that had been charged with the first coagulum; these 
contained numerous bright granules, identical in dimensions, form 
and appearance with the spores. These granules, placed in a pro¬ 
per cultivation-liquid, developed into long filaments, and thus the 
proof of their nature and vitality was complete; while the serum 
from Guinea-pigs that had died from inoculations, though ex¬ 
tremely virulent, when filtered through plaster, gave a filtrate 
that might be inoculated with impunity, showing conclusively 
that the disease was not due to a soluble chemical poison or form¬ 
less ferment. In conclusion M. Bert says: “ It appears to me, 
then, absolutely demonstrated that the blood with which I exper¬ 
imented contained not only bacteridia, but septic vibrios, the cor¬ 
puscle-germs of which have resisted the alehohol as well as the 
compressed oxygen, the adult organisms having, on the contrary, 
succumbed to these agents.” 
M. Bert was completely satisfied, as was every candid man, that 
his experiments, instead of opposing the germ theory, really con¬ 
firmed itbut some of the highest medical authorities in England, 
after having access to his second paper, either refused to accept 
the latter part of the evidence,* or quoted that part of the obser- 
* T. R. Lewis. The Microphytes which have been found in the Blood 
and their relation to disease. Quart. Journal Mic. Science. 1879; pp. 373-5. 
