=Septicæmia.= The micro-organisms causing septicæmia are the same as those of pyæmia, but they differ somewhat in activity, and act upon a system with a modified susceptibility, and above all one void of lesions in the internal membrane of the vascular system. The symptoms can be developed by the introduction of the ptomaines and toxins alone, which hypothetical condition has been named _septic-intoxication_. In case of excessive doses of septic material, death occurs so early as to indicate simple narcosis. If, as is usually the case, the microbes also gain access to the blood and multiply there, the condition has been known as _septic infection_. In any prolonged case of septicæmia, the tendency is to the formation of suppurating foci (_septico-pyæmia_), so that the two affections may be looked upon as probably the same, with modifications of the earlier phenomena. In connection with septicæmia must be mentioned the _fermentation fever_ of Bergmann, (_aseptic_ or _resorption fever_) which follows on extensive wounds, even if aseptic, on the intravenous injection of the blood of healthy animals or even of fine foreign particles (charcoal, flour), of a normal salt solution, or of well water, or of pancreatin, pepsin or trypsin. It has been attributed to the introduction and metabolism of fibrine and other elements, but manifestly arises also from the solution of blood globules, (hæmolysis). It comes on within a few hours after a severe operation or other cause and lasts from one to three days, terminating in recovery, unless complicated by some intercurrent infection. The _sapræmic fever_, of Mathews Duncan (sapros—putrid, haima—blood) may also be named in this connection. It is associated with one or more of the common saprophytes (Bacillus saprogenes 1–2 and 3 of Rosenbach, Proteus Vulgaris, Proteus Zenkeri, Proteus mirable, etc.) These are propagated with difficulty in the blood, but grow readily in pus or necrotic tissue from which their toxic products can pass into the blood. Again the observations of Brieger and Maas, Ruine, Vaughan, Bourget and others show that the isolated toxins from putrefactive fermentation of animal matters, apart from the living bacteria are capable of producing the characteristic symptoms of septicæmia. It is now generally concluded that the septicæmic phenomena can be produced by the introduction of such poisons, whether they are the product of septic fermentations outside the animal poisoned, or of fermentation in dead matter in the economy of such animal.