172 
M. L. PASTEUR. 
matioii. the formation of pus, and explain the recidivity of the 
disease for a time variable in length. It was easy to put the idea 
to the proof of observation. 
First Observation .—On the 2d of June, a puncture was made 
at the base of a small cone of pus, crowding one of the furuncles, 
situated at the back of the neck. The liquid obtained was sowed 
to the contact of air, every precaution being taken to exclude for¬ 
eign germs, either at the time of the puncture, and of the sowing 
of the liquid of culture, as well as during its continuance in the 
oven, whose temperature remained constantly at about 35°. 
The next day, the liquid of culture had lost its clearness and 
contained a special organism, formed of little spherical points, 
grouped by couples of two grains, seldom of four, but often 
gathered in little masses. 
During these experiments, two liquids were selected for use; 
the bouillon of muscle of chicken, and that of yeast, and the re¬ 
sult varied somewhat as one or the other was employed. These 
variations demand notice. With the yeast, the couples of small 
grains are spread in all the parts of the liquid, which is uniformly 
cloudy. With the bouillon of chicken they are gathered in small 
masses, lining the walls of the vase, and the liquid remains clear, 
unless it is shaken; in this case it becomes cloudy by the break¬ 
ing up the little masses spread upon the bottom of the vases. 
Second Observation .—June 10th, another furuncle appeared 
upon the right thigh of the same person. Pus was not yet visi¬ 
ble under the skin, but a prominence, red in color, appeared on 
the surface, of about the dimensions of a twenty-cent coin. The 
part was carefully washed with an alcoholic mixture, which was 
dried up with blotting paper which had been exposed to the flame 
of an alcoholic lamp. A small puncture made on the prominent 
part produced the collection of some lymph, mixed with blood, 
which was sowed simultaneously with some blood taken from one 
of the fingers. The following days the blood of the finger re¬ 
mained sterile, the other, on the contrary, exhibited an abundant 
culture of the same organism that was formed in the first obser¬ 
vation. 
Third Observation .—On the 14th of June, nother furuncle 
