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264 THE MICRO-ORGANISMS OF THE HUMAN MOUTH.

quentlv gain access into tlie moiitli. It would also seem very
probable tliat the conditions existing in the oral cavity favor
their growth, although no attempt has as yet been made to
establish the accuracy of these two suppositions experimentally.
All results obtained from cultnre-experiments coincide in this,
that the two micro-organisms tirst named actually occur in the
mouth, whereas the statements concerning the frequency of their
occurrence greatly diverge.
--\ Black '^^ examined the buccal juices in regard to pyogenic
micro-organisms, and found them in man}' cases. In the saliva
of ten healthy persons he found Staphylococcus pyogenes aureus
seven times, Staphylococcus pyogenes albus four times, and
Streptococcus pyogenes three times. The material was obtained
by scraping the back of the tongue or any part of the mucous
membrane with a sterilized platinum wire. In some cases
Black found staphylococci in all parts of the mouth, in others he
did not succeed in finding them, but believes that they might
be discovered in almost all mouths if the latter were examined
with sufficient care. Black but seldom found other pyogenic
bacteria in the mouth.
" As dentists," he continues, " we must take into considera-
tion that the pyogenic bacteria are generally present in the oral
cavity and endanger every wound which we make in it."
Other bacteriologists who have examined the buccal juices
have not succeeded in finding the above-named bacteria so con-
stantly. YignaP^ found Staphylococcus aureus and albus but
rarely in the mouth ; Streptococcus pyogenes never. Netter
found Staphylococcus pyogenes aureus seven times in one hun-
dred and twenty-seven cases. During the many years in which
I have occupied myself with the study of mouth-bacteria 1 have
met these species comparatively seldom ; in suppurative pro-
cesses five times in twenty-two cases, in healthy mouths more
rarely. I have, however, made comparatively few experiments
for the sole purpose of determining the presence or non-presence
of these organisms, and consequently do not attach very much
importance to my own work on this point. The results of
Vignal and better are not so easily disposed of. Further ex-
periments must consequently determine ^^•llethcr pyogenic bac-