Page 354 - My FlipBook

326 THE MICRO-ORGANISMS OF THE HUMAN MOUTH.

the tliigli pliowecl numerous abscesses. On opening them, a
fracture of the lower extremity of the femur, about a centimeter
from the surface of the joint, was ascertained. Around the
fracture tlie bone was gangrenous, and the point of fracture
communicated with the adjacent abscesses. In the neighborhood
of the diseased spot we found a number of abscesses, varying from
the size of a hazel-nut to that of a walnut. The joint ai»peared
to be sound as far as could be judged from the preparation pre-
served in alcohol. On the plane of the ribs abscesses were dis-
covered, of which those facing the pleural cavity were especially
prominent. The subcutaneous abscesses were less developed;
longitudinal sections of the ribs, on a plane with the abscesses,
showed that the bone was swollen and much softened, as in
certain phases of osteitis. On other ribs, in the plane of the
abscesses, fractures were found which communicated with neigh-
boring abscesses.
" According to the view of my teacher and friend Malassez,
who examined the lesions, we have here to deal with an osteitis,
which brought about the fracture of the bone and the surround-
ing abscesses. This is the only possible explanation of the
fracture of the femur, the care bestowed upon the animal ex-
cluding the possibility of a trauma. The same may be said of
the fractures of the ribs. The abscesses adjoining them vaiy in
size from a millet-seed to a hazel-nut."
Besides this /^ parasite, Galippe found still others, on one of
which, called ^3, he lays particular stress; injected under the
skin of the abdomen of a guinea-pig, it provoked the formation
of well-developed abscesses in the subcutaneous cellular tissue
and caused the death of the animal in twenty days.
Direct inoculation with the parasites -/j and between the
f^
teeth and gums of animals yielded indelinite if not negative
results.
" The infectious arthro-dental gingivitis," says Galip|ie," is in
reality only a local disease." But under certain circumstancts
(abnormal nutrition, irregular mastication, neglected hygiene of
the oral cavity, conditions accompanying locomotor ataxia) "the
disease assumes a serious character, Avhich is inversely propor-
tionate to the physical power of resistance of the individual."