180 
M. L. PASTEUR. 
uterus, quite small, seemed healthy, but on the exterior surface 
whitish nodosities were found, full of pus. There was no appear¬ 
ance of lesion in the peritoneum, which was not inflamed , but 
there was much pus in the joints of the shoulders and in the 
pubic symphysis. The pus of the abscesses was sown and gave 
long chapelets of grains, as well as the pus of the pleura and that 
of the shoulders, and of a lymphatic of the uterus. The fact is 
curious, though easily understood, that blood taken from the arm, 
collected three-quarters of an hour after death, gave a sterile cul¬ 
ture. Nothing appeared in the fallopian tubes, nor in the round 
ligaments. 
Interpretation of the Disease and of the Death. —The pus 
formed in the uterus after confinement had become associated 
with germs of microscopic organism, which had grown and after¬ 
wards passed into the lymphatics of that organ, then giving rise 
to the formation of pus in the pleura and in the joints. 
Seventh Observatioii. —On June 18th I was informed that a 
woman had been confined five days previously at Cochin, and that 
fears were entertained on account of the operation (embryotomy) 
which had been performed. The lochia sown on the 18th, the 
next day, gave no fecund culture the day after. Having received 
no news from the patient since the 18th, I presumed (the 20th) 
that she must be better. I inquired, and received for answer: 
“ The woman is doing very well ; will be discharged to-morrow I 
Interpretation of the Facts. —The pus naturally formed on 
the surface of the wounded parts had not been mixed with out¬ 
side organisms. Medicatrix naturae won it; that is to say, that 
life on the surface of the mucous membranes had prevented the 
development of the foreign germs. Pus was easily resolved, and 
a recovery took place. 
Will the Academy, in closing, allow me to lay before it some 
ideas that lam disposed to consider as legitimate deductions from 
the observations I have had the honor to relate ? 
Under the designation of puerperal fever, are placed various 
diseases, but all seem to be the consequence of the development 
of common organisms, which by their presence infect the pus 
naturally formed on the surface of the wounded parts, and which 
