RT Journal
T1 THe presence of diphtheria bacilli in healthy persons.
JF Journal of the American Medical Association
JO Journal of the American Medical Association
YR 1899
FD September 23
VO XXXIII
IS 13
SP 800
OP 800
DO 10.1001/jama.1899.02450650050011
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.1899.02450650050011
AB The statement that a micro-organism can be regarded as the cause of a definite disease only when it is found exclusively in the disease in question, which must then be present, has long ago been modified. We know that the presence of the cause of a disease does not necessarily mean development of the disease, because there are conditions which prevent this. A bacterium may therefore be regarded as the cause of a certain disease when it is constantly found in connection with the disease, and as a rule only in this disease. It is assumed that the occurrence of the bacterium without the development of the corresponding disease is relatively rare. This question has rapidly come to the fore in connection with diphtheria. We know that the bacillus of diphtheria is found in the bodies of patients free from diphtheria, as well as in absolutely healthy persons. Recently Kober