PETTENKOFFER TOOK A RIDE ON THE UNIFACTORIAL THEORY STATING THAT KOCH'S POSTULATES CANNOT EXPLAIN THE NON COMMUNICABLE DISEASE CAUSATION WHERE ONE CANNOT FIND A GERM.

HE GAVE GENERALIZED EXPLANATION APPLICABLE TO ALL DISEASES, INFECTIOUS AND NON-INFECTIOUS AS WELL THAT DISEASE IS MULTIFACTORIAL.

PETTENKOFFER CONTRADICTED THE UNIFACTORIAL THEORY OF DISEASE CAUSATION AND EMPHASIZED THAT DISEASE IS MULTIFACTORIAL IN CAUSATION. SEVERAL CAUSES OR FACTORS ACTING JOINTLY, CUMULATIVELY, BY COMPLEMENTING OR IN AN UNEXPLAINED MANNER WILL LEAD TO THE DISEASE.

THIS THEORY OF WEB OF CAUSATION EXPLAINS BOTH THE INFECTIOUS AND NON-INFECTIOUS DISEASES. THESE MULTIPLE CAUSES WORK THROUGH DIFFERENT GROUPS OR CONSTELLATIONS.