SPECIFIC THERAPY WITH BACTERIOPHAGE SUSPENSIONS 553 



in a sense, the two agents being the known visible form of B. typhosus 

 and the infra visible form.* Insofar as the disease caused by the in- 

 fravisible form of B. typhosus is concerned, the bacteriophage may have 

 no action. 



4. BACTERIOPHAGE THERAPY OF COLON BACILLUS INFECTIONS 



Let us first state that since B. coli is, of all bacterial species the most 

 heterogeneous, up to such time as some one succeeds in isolating a 

 polyvirulent race of the bacteriophagef — ^it will always be necessary to 

 utilize in the treatment of each particular case what is improperly 

 termed an "autobacteriophage." Treatment can be effected only by 

 testing those races of the Coli-bacteriophage available in the laboratory 

 and using that race which proves to be most virulent for the bacillus 

 causing the infection. This has been the procedure of those who have 

 attempted the bacteriophage treatment of B. coli infections. 



Beckerich and Hauduroy'^^ were the first to publish results in this 

 field, their report comprising 3 cases of puerperal pyelo-cystitis treated 

 by a single subcutaneous injection of 1 cc. of a Coli-bacteriophage sus- 

 pension. In the two cases where the B. coli isolated from the urine was 

 susceptible, a sudoral crisis occurred 2 hours after the injection, the 

 temperature quickly fell to normal, and cure was definite after 48 hours. 

 In the third case the urinary colon bacillus was not susceptible, and no 

 benefit followed the treatment. 



These same authors^- then published the results obtained in 11 cases 

 of urinary tract infection; 9 were recoveries, 2 were failures. Haudu- 

 j.Qy302 f;hen applied the method in a large number of cases. Here are 

 four of his observations, taken as examples. All are alike, however, 

 in that the bacteriophage caused recovery. Again we find the same 

 situation, namely, if recovery takes place at all, it occurs quickly. The 

 effect seems to be "all or nothing." 



Case 1. Mrs. H 35 years old. The patient had a chronic 



cystitis of 3 years duration, consequent to a puerperal infection. At 

 the time when she appeared for treatment, urine secretion was abundant, 

 and urination was frequent, with pain and burning. There was no 



* There must also be forms of typhoid fever caused by the infravisible form 

 alone, for in certain morbid conditions presenting clinically all of the symptoms 

 of a severe typhoid, a most careful study will not permit the isolation of any 

 organism capable of being considered as the cause of the disease. 



t We have seen that Gratia has succeeded in isolating a polyvirulent race active 

 for staphylococci. This offers hope that such a one may be found for B. coli. 



