The bacillus coli communis, or the bacillus of Escherich, is invariably found in the fæces. It is believed by many observers to be the cause of appendicitis, peritonitis, and abscesses about the intestine. In cases of appendicitis we can rarely get a pure culture of Escherich’s bacillus, but usually find also streptococci and staphylococci.
The bacillus of typhoid fever (Eberth’s bacillus) is responsible for some cases of gangrene, for some of embolism and for not a few bone and joint diseases.
The bacillus tuberculosis (Koch’s bacillus), the cause of all tubercular processes, is met with especially in dusty air which contains the dried sputum of victims of tuberculosis. This infected air is the chief means of its transmission, though it may be conveyed by the milk of tubercular cows and by the meat of tubercular animals. Wounds may open a gateway for infection.
The bacillus tetani (Nicolaier’s bacillus), an aerobic organism, is found especially in the soil of gardens, in the dust of old buildings, in street dirt, and in the sweepings of stables. Spores develop at the ends of these bacilli. This organism is capable of producing toxins of deadly power. Its spores are hard to kill.
CHAPTER III
ASEPSIS AND ANTISEPSIS
Before the introduction of Lister’s methods of treating wounds, it was considered proper, in accidental and operative wounds, to have profuse suppuration, pyemia, erysipelas, etc., and it was not remarkable, therefore, that the mortality following accidental and operative wounds was very high. Lister’s method of wound treatment was largely based upon the conception that the infection of wounds occurred from contact with the air which contained spores and germs, and his method of treatment therefore, was directed chiefly to their destruction. The air can be a medium of wound infection to a certain extent, and dry air contains more spores and bacteria than moist air, but Koch demonstrated the fact that atmospheric microbes were chiefly of innocuous character, and wound infection usually could be traced to bacteria or spores being brought into direct contact with wounds, by the clothing, or by the skin of the patient, or by the hands of the surgeon, or by unclean surgical instruments and dressings. The antiseptic qualities of the blood serum and cell activities in healthy tissues, are sufficient to destroy or remove a certain number of microorganisms, and suppuration occurs only when the tissues are completely overwhelmed by the number of these organisms or when their power of resistance is lessened by injury or disease.
Sepsis. Sepsis is due to the entrance and multiplication of microbes, or to the absorption of their products in the body. Local inflammation and marked constitutional symptoms characterize sepsis.