560 THE BACTERIOPHAGE AND ITS BEHAVIOR 



thrax, and subcutaneous abscesses, giving unquestioned favorable effects. As 

 the local congestive reaction, which persists for 24 hours, disappears, there is a 

 very marked reduction of the local tenderness and a quick disappearance of the 

 erythema, which, before vanishing, assumes a bluish tinge. There is an early soft- 

 ening of the induration and the edema disappears. Very often the cores, the 

 purulent masses, undergo a rapid liquefaction, and they may be evacuated 

 through a very small opening, or they may even be gradually absorbed without 

 leaving a scar. 



It may be added that of the 50 cases treated within a period of three 

 months only one had a recurrence. 



The authors mentioned above have used suspensions of the bacterio- 

 phage which had been heated at 56 to 58°C. Following my suggestion, 

 Bastin^^ worked with suspensions which were simply filtered. In con- 

 trast to the findings of the preceding authors he did not find that the 

 inoculations caused any appreciable general reaction, and that the local 

 reactions, although of variable intensity, were but slight. From his 

 experience he concluded that: 



Contrary to that which has been observed following the injection of heated 

 suspensions, the inoculation of a fresh suspension does not cause any significant 

 general reaction, and the local reaction is minimal. We think that the reactional 

 phenomena reported by Bruynoghe and Maisin, by Gratia and Jaumain, must be 

 due to the injection of albuminous substances which have been modified by the 

 heating. 



Whatever may be the reason for these differences, I can fully confirm 

 the fact that the inoculation of suspensions of a virulent Staphylo- 

 bacteriophage, simply filtered through a candle, does not cause any 

 material general reaction, while the local reaction is essentially the 

 same as that which follows the injection of heated suspensions of 

 staphylococci (vaccines). 



Nelson Barbosa^^^ has appHed bacteriophagic treatment to cases with 

 staphylococcus cystitis, with recovery, both clinical and bacteriological, 

 within 2 or 3 days following the injection of 0.5 to 1 cc. of a bacterio- 

 phage suspension. 



Hauduroy''''^ also, has successfully used bacteriophage treatment in 

 staphylococcus infections. 



Bazy^" reports on the use of bacteriophagic therapy in all types of 

 localized pyogenic surgical infections. In some cases he brought the 

 bacteriophage directly into contact with the lesion (anthrax, locahzed 

 abscesses) by encircling the lesion with a series of injections. In other 

 cases he injected the suspension subcutaneously in some part more 



