TO

MY HONORED AND BELOVED GRANDFATHER

MR. JACOB GRIM

WHOSE PARENTAL LOVE AND LIBERALITY HAVE ENABLED ME TO PURSUE MY MEDICAL EDUCATION

THIS BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED

PREFACE.

THE following pages are intended to convey to the reader a concise account of the technical procedures necessary in the study of bacteriology, a brief description of the life-history of the important pathogenic bacteria, and sufficient description of the pathological lesions accompanying the micro-organismal invasions. to give an idea of the origin of symptoms and the causes of death.

The work being upon Pathogenic Bacteria, it does not cover the whole scope of parasitology, and the parasites of higher orders are all omitted. Malaria and amebic dysentery are omitted as logically as tape-worms and pediculi. The higher fungi are also omitted, both because they are not bacteria and because their proper consideration would make a small book in itself.

In leaving out the non-pathogenic bacteria of course a stumbling-block was encountered. The Sarcina ventriculi, for instance, may be a cause of dyspepsia, yet can scarcely be regarded as pathogenic, and, together with other similar bacteria of questionable deleterious operation, has been omitted; on the other hand, it has been thought advisable to include and describe somewhat at length a long list of spirilla similar to, and probably closely allied with, the spirillum of cholera, yet not the cause of any particular diseased condition.

The aim has been to describe only such bacteria as can be proven pathogenic by the lesions or toxins which they engender, and, while considering them, to mention as fully as is necessary the species with which they may be confounded.

The book, of course, will find its proper sphere of usefulness in the hands of medical students; its pages, however, will be found to contain much that will be of interest and profit to those practitioners of medicine who graduated before modern science had thrown its light upon the etiology of disease.

In writing this work the popular text-books have been drawn upon. Hüppe, Flügge, Sternberg, Fränkel, Günther, Thoinot and Masselin, and others have been freely consulted.

The illustrations are mainly reproductions of the best the world affords, and, being taken from the great standards, are surely superior to anything new covering the same ground. Credit has carefully been given for each illustration.

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 1, 1896.

J. McF.