Morbific agents are those agents which are thought capable of producing dis-ease when introduced into the body. They are of vegetable or animal origin. Those of vegetable origin are classed under the general name of bacteria. The most important are named according to their form. Those of the spherical shape are known as cocci; the elongated, rod-like form, as bacilli; and those of spiral form, as spirilli. The streptococcus pyogenes, pneumococcus and gonococcus are illustrations of the cocci. The most common pathogenic bacilli are bacillus anthracis, bacillus tetani, bacillus typhosus, bacillus tuberculosis and bacillus influenzæ. The most usual spirilla are vibrio cholera asiatica, spirillum of relapsing fever and spirochæta pallida. Pathogenic action of germs upon the body may be mechanical, biological or chemical. The mechanical action is an interference with the physiological activity of the organs, causing stasis and hemorrhage. The biological action causes inflammation, infiltration and abscesses in the tissues. The chemical action is the result of the toxins formed by the action of the germs. This is by far the most important action.
Pathogenic Germs
Microörganisms are spoken of as being pathogenic and non-pathogenic according to the adaptative action produced by Innate Intelligence when they are introduced into the body. Pathogenic germs are those which will do harm to the host when introduced under certain circumstances. It has been demonstrated that a germ may be pathogenic to one host and non-pathogenic to another. A germ may be pathogenic to a host at one time and not at another, showing that immunity is not constant in the same individual. The pathogenicity of a germ depends upon the host and not upon the germ. Chiropractic has proven that germs will not harm the body unless there is interference with the transmission of mental impulses so that Innate Intelligence can not bring about the proper adaptative action to the presence of the germs.
Non-Pathogenic Germs
When there is complete adaptative action on the part of Innate Intelligence and the germs are excreted immediately without the production of symptoms or ill effects to the body, the germs are said to be non-pathogenic. This is not so much because of the character of the germs but because of the ability of Innate to excrete them as waste material.
Communicability
This term refers to the ease with which the germs pass from one host to another. Chiropractic has proven the fallacy of the theory that dis-ease is produced in this way. Patients become ill with the so-called communicable dis-eases and are not exposed to the germs that are supposed to cause the dis-ease. It is also a proven fact that the so-called germ dis-eases develop in many cases in which there are no germs to be found in the pathological tissue.
Host
The host is an organism which affords lodgment and sustenance to parasite and commensal organisms. The invading organisms may be beneficial, they may be harmful or they may produce no effect.