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MICROSCOPICAL PHENOMENA OF DECAY. 183

Stocked only with micrococci (Fig. 81), the adjacent one only
with rods (Fig. 82); there are, however, tiibnles packed with a
mixtnre of both (Fig. 83), while it rarely happens that one ex-
tremity of a tnhnle is filled with rods, the other with cocci.
^Ve have consequently in decay of the teeth to do with a
so-called mix-infection (Fig. 84).
Fig 81. Fig. 82. Fig. 83. Fig. 84.

"i Single Tcbule
Single Tubule
Single Tubvle filled with
SHOWING A Mixed
FILLED WITH RoD.S. -^
^ Infection or
Cocci. lloo : 1. , |
Infection with a ^
y,^^ . ,| :_
Pleomorphou.s ^s
It is true that we often meet iiw:i. %|
with specimens which appear
to contain cocci alone (whether of one or of
difl'erent varieties the microscopic examination
does not tell). On the other hand, I have in
my possession a few preparations which exhil-it Decayed Dentine
SHOWING A MlX-
a pure bacillus infection, particularly in circum-
INFECTIOX WITH
scribed portions. Cocci and Ba
CILLI.
This, however, must not lead us to believe 4oo:i.
that there is a bacillus-decay and a micrococcus-
decay which are distinguished by characteristic phenomeiui:
decay caused by the difl:erent bacteria reveals no such distinc-
tions, consequently I do not consider it as proved that caries
chronica, acuta, acutissima, etc., are caused each by its own
specific bacterium.
In general that species of bacterium which possesses the