Note 26 — Chapter III · On the Origin of Ferments properly so called.

Chauveau’s experiments were directed to show that the operation bistournage, employed by veterinary surgeons for castrating animals by twisting and subcutaneous rupture of the spermatic cord, an operation which, though leading to the mortification and subsequent absorption of the testicles, is commonly attended with no other mischief to the animal, does, nevertheless, lead to septic effects of a serious character, provided that septic germs—decomposing serum containing vibrios, for example—be introduced into the blood current. From the fact that the operation is ordinarily harmless, M. Chauveau concludes that septic organisms are not produced by the action of the constituent gases of the atmosphere—always present in the blood—upon albuminous matter when outside vital influences; whilst, from the success of the direct experiment of introducing septic germs, he concludes that the phenomena always arise from the actual presence of such germs.—D. C. R.