This volume contains the Lane lectures delivered by Dr. Billings at the Stanford University Medical School in September, 1915.
In the introduction Dr. Billings traces in brief the history of the development of our knowledge of focal infections, noting especially the cooperative spirit between the clinicians and laboratory workers—the team work in which even nurses and patients took part—which made these investigations possible. He shows how numerous research institutions weregradually drawn into the work, and with characteristic modesty disclaims the larger share of the credit for the investigations, naming himself as spokesman of those who took part in the work. Those who know will say that he was the leader.
In his first lecture, which is devoted to a general consideration of the subject, Dr. Billings rapidly traces the growth bacteriology and antiseptic and aseptic surgery. He then takes up the etiology of focal infections, paying special attention to work