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Scientific Memoirs by
of abnormal ones—of conditions arising in the case of the experiments as the
result of special preparatory measures, and in that of the disease when originat
- i n g n a t u r a l l y a s t h e r e s u l t o f a d y s p e p t i c c o n d i t i o n — t h a t t h e y a r e a b l e t o d o s o .
Cases of cholera must then depend on the presence of such a condition ante
-cedent to the access of the Bacilli. But, if this be so, it is clear that, in order to
the occurrence of epidemic diffusion of the disease, we must have not only
diffusion of the Bacilli but coincident epidemic diffusion of the necessary
dyspeptic condition. The mere diffusion of the Bacilli in however great
amount would be incapable of determining the epidemic occurrence of the
disease. They must, therefore, necessarily be regarded as only playing a
secondary part, and the presence of the dyspeptic condition, as the really im
-portant factor. In every case of epidemic diffusion, according to this theory,
we must assume the coincident spread of two factors, of the Bacilli and of the
conditions allowing of their producing any effect, and the latter must be the
really important one, for, if the Bacilli are incapable of producing any effect, it is
of no matter how freely they are diffused. This is, of course, quite in accord
-ance with a great mass of evidence which has been brought forward by various
observers, and very specially by Von Pettenkofer, showing that development of
epidemics in localities does not necessarily run parallel with the facilities for the
introduction of materials from previously infected ones, but the theory ceases
to be a contagionistic one and really becomes a localistic one. If pushed to its
logical conclusion it must come to regard the local conditions determining the
presence of the necessary antecedent state in the recipient organisms as the
really important factor, and to conclude that in order to secure the absence of
epidemics it is the development of these conditions, and not mere access of the
Bacilli, which must be prevented.
In proceeding to consider the bearing of the second class of experiments—
those in which choleraic symptoms are said to follow on mere access of the
Bacilli to the organism of animals without the presence of any special adjuvant
conditions—on the question of the relation of the commas to epidemic diffusion,
it may appear at first sight as though a different conclusion must neces
-sarily be arrived at, as though the evidence showed that the commas really were
efficient factors for the determination of epidemic diffusion. Had it been shown
unequivocally that the Bacilli in their ordinary normal condition were capable
of inducing the development of cholera in healthy organisms, this would no
doubt to a certain extent have been the case, but this has never been affirmed
by Hueppe. What he maintains that he has experimentally proved is, that
under certain conditions of defective nourishment and of exposure to special
temperatures the Bacilli no longer follow their common course of development,
but give origin to peculiar small, round, highly refractive cells which he regards
as Arthrospores, and describes as endowed with much greater powers of
resistance to the influence of various external conditions than that which is