A precise investigation of some micro-organisms and soluble ferments, their chemical history and relation to disease : including also a practical study of the disinfecting value of 'Sanitas' fluids / by C.T. Kingzett.

  • Kingzett, Charles Thomas, 1852-1935.
Date:
1885
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A precise investigation of some micro-organisms and soluble ferments, their chemical history and relation to disease : including also a practical study of the disinfecting value of 'Sanitas' fluids / by C.T. Kingzett. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    attention. Virchow lias, also, recently indicated this defect in current investigations,* and it may be safely predicted that after a lime there will be a more or less sudden devotion of scientific attention to the life history of the cells which build up the human body, and parasitic micro-organisms will then for a while be the subject of neglect. It seems to be a pity that both subjects should not be dealt with simultaneously. Until we know more of cell life it appears to me that progress depends upon investigation conducted in the chemical laboratory; for chemists can construct many mixtures of known composition upon which micro-organisms will grow, multiply and flourish, and similarly they can both qualitatively and quantitatively ascertain in what ways the chemical molecules are broken up and re-arranged by the life agencies of the micro-organisms, and thus they can also place a quantitative value upon the action of so-called antiseptics and disinfectants. It is in this sense that I have lately conducted an investigation of which I shall next proceed to describe the details and results so far as it has been carried. It is desirable, however, to precede this description by a few remarks, intended to anticipate an objection which will surely be raised against this investigation. It will be said that the value of such a research is diminished, since it only •deals with zymases and with micro-organisms not known to be specifically associated with diseases. My answer is, that all we know respecting the nature and habits of pathogenic micro-organisms, war- rants us in reasoning from analogy that they would be found to be similarly influenced could they be studied; but, so far, we know next to nothing of their behaviour to chemical substances, and so they cannot be studied in the same way. I may even go further and point out that the particular forms of life which are concerned in inducing the process of putrefaction are undoubtedly associated with and responsible for certain diseased processes, if not for so- called specific diseases ; at least, they are responsible for the whole of those evils for the successful combat with which the practice of Antiseptic Surgery has been designed, and is now almost universally employed. • Aichiv. dcr Path. Anat. Bd. 101, llcft. 1.