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named living germinal matter, not a gas or
vapour, or dead organic thing, but a living germ,
so minute, that its particles are probably less than
the one hundred thousandth of an inch in diameter;
and these particles, or even but one of them, entering
the system of an animal already in a fit state
to receive and nourish them, will grow and
multiply to an enormous extent. The progress of
their development, and their effects on the animal
body, constitute the disease; and the struggle of
nature is to discharge them quickly and entirely from
the system. These living germs may get into some
animals whose systems are not in a proper state to
receive them, or whose vital powers are sufficiently
vigorous to repel them, and then no ill effects are
manifested, but when, as is the case with other
specific fevers, the powers of nature are reduced by
depressing agencies, or by unnatural modes of life,
or when the system is unduly charged with the
material on which the germs are nourished, the
consequences may be serious. How long these
germs are capable of retaining vitality after their
removal from the body is somewhat doubtful; but
it would seem that their infectious or reproductive
power is lost after about nine or ten days, and it is
generally thought that they are killed and rendered
harmless by drying; for in all countries where the
disease lias been studied, it is considered that the
dry horns and hides of infected animals may be
d