'SEPTIC DECOMPOSITION OF THE BLOOD. 
189 
From this we may conclude that the putrid and septicbacteria find in 
such blood conditions very favorable to their development. The intes¬ 
tines and liver must be looked upon as constant sources for bacterian 
emigration, as we must meet them there by healthy individuals. Expe¬ 
rience has taught that small quantities of foul material containing bac¬ 
teria can be brought into the circulation of healthy animals without evil 
consequences. The same are disturbed in the circulating blood. Great¬ 
er quantities of noxious elements taken from the intestine^ into the 
blood can bring on death through septicaemia. If, as shown by Bol¬ 
linger, myself and others, the bacteria can cause the death of the animal 
by asphyxia, through the withdrawal of the oxygen, as takes place by 
anthrax, yet it does not appear to be the case by septic and putrid bac¬ 
teria. The latter develop from the want of oxygen in the blood, and 
appear to work especially upon the red blood cells, and to cause an im¬ 
mense disintegration of the same. 
The bacteria of other contagious diseases die from want of oxy¬ 
gen in the blood, they soon die when foulness begins in the cadaver, 
and are replaced by foulness bacteria (anthrax distemper, rabies, rinder¬ 
pest, etc.) Another source for putrid bacteria is to be found in blood 
transfusion. Aside from the fact the blood from animals of other 
species becomes decomposed in the circulation, and is excedated by 
means of the kidneys, comes here in consideration the fibrinferment dis¬ 
covered by A. Schmidt, by means of the latter is caused coagulation, 
stosis and thrombosis. (Kohler, liber Thrombose, und Transfusion, 
Eiler, und Septische Infection, und deren Beziehungen zum Fibrinfer¬ 
ment. Dorpat, 1877.) True putrid decomposition of the blood can 
take place by means of transfusion. 
In spring of 1875 the blood and milk from an old cow suffering 
from tuberculosis was injected partly in the veins and partly subcutan¬ 
eous of thirty young pigs and lambs by way of experiment. The quan¬ 
tity of blood and milk amounted to one fifteenth to one thirtieth of the 
total amount of the blood of the above animals. The above quantities 
of blood and milk was borne by the animals in question without appar¬ 
ent prejudice. The infusion took place in pure air from one to one and 
a half hours after the withdrawal of the blood with disinfected and per¬ 
fectly clean instruments. The blood was previously defibrinated, but 
not warmed; the milk was also not warmed. Of the thirty animals, eight 
died partly from hydrops, partly from other accidental causes. Sixteen 
of them were killed six months after the infusion, and showed fully de¬ 
veloped tuberculosis. Two young pigs were brought into a room filled 
