UBIQUITY OF BACTERIOPHAGE 



429 



5. THE BACTERIOPHAGE IN THE CHICKEN AND IN THE GOOSE 



During the course of my experiments on the appHcation of the bac- 

 teriophage to specific purposes I have made rather extensive studies of 

 the activity of the intestinal bacteriophage to be found in chickens. 

 The chickens examined were in different countries and were Hving under 

 very unHke conditions as to nourishment and other environmental 

 factors. The examinations made upon geese were carried out on these 

 animals as found in farm-yards infected with avian typhosis, a disease 

 to which the goose is refractory. 



I have made seventy examinations of the excreta of fowls, and have 

 tested the bacteriophage for virulence against the eight bacterial strains 

 selected. It is needless to give all the results since they were all of the 

 same nature. As examples, the results of only one or two tests in each 

 lot will be given. Table 57 clearly shows the range of virulences pre- 

 sented by the intestinal bacteriophage in these animals. The following 

 supplementary notes are self-explanatory, 



Nos. 1 and 2 represent chickens living in France in regions free of 

 avian typhosis (12 specimens examined). 



Nos. 3 and 4 represent healthy fowls hving in regions where avian 

 typhosis was present (19 other examinations carried out on the eight 

 test bacteria gave comparable results, particularly as regards B. 

 gallinarum) . 



