562 THE BACTERIOPHAGE AND ITS BEHAVIOR 



Gougerot and Peyre^'" have applied the bacteriophage treatment to 

 sycosis, a disease up to the present time incurable, and whose etiology 

 even, is subject to discussion. The experiments of these authors dis- 

 close a therapeutic procedure, and show at the same time that the in- 

 fectious agent must be a staphylococcus.* 



They first applied the bacteriophage by the subcutaneous route, as 

 in other staphylococcus infections, but the result was clearly negative. 

 To quote from their paper: 



Local treatment is the only method to yield results. It is necessary to pa- 

 tiently open each pustular element with a pipette containing the suspension of 

 bacteriophage in such a way as to inoculate each pustule. All of the elements 

 must be attacked, even though they be minute. A compress moistened with the 



bacteriophage suspension is placed over the area involved Frequently 



on the next day a disagreeable reaction is observed, and it is necessary to pro- 

 tect the patient because of the annoyance of the lesions. As a matter of fact, 

 each pustule increases in size, and it becomes surrounded by an inflammatory 

 zone, indurated and red. One gains the impression that a struggle between 

 the staphylococcus and the bacteriophage is going on. And then, at the end of 

 48 hours, the injected lesions have dried up and disappeared. Every other day 

 it is necessary to repeat this procedure, certain pustules having been overlooked 

 or having appeared after the first treatment. Lack of success is due solely to 

 neglect on the part of the patient to have all of the cutaneous elements treated. 

 At the end of 8 to 10 applications improvement is manifest. 



In two cases it has been possible for us to state that cure has resulted. 



The first case was a physician having a pustular sycosis of the superficial 

 variety with erythemato-squamous dermo-epidermitis. 



The second case was that of a tailor having a sycosis with large hypodermic 

 nodules and a diffuse dermo-epidermitis, involving the moustache, the beard, 

 and the pubis. 



In two other cases now undergoing treatment, — pustular sycosis with amian- 

 thoid squamous epidermitis; and a pustular sycosis with an oozing ulcerous 

 dermo-epidermitis, — a very great improvement has already been obtained, in 

 spite of the fact that the classic forms of treatment were unable to prevent the 

 spread of the lesions. 



These attempts, some 100 or more, at the treatment of diverse in- 

 fectious processes due to the staphylococcus permit us to recommend 

 the following mode of procedure. 



In the first place utiHze a race of the bacteriophage which is polyvir- 



* It is impossible, as a matter of fact, to definitely affirm this, for it may quite 

 logically be objected that, inasmuch as the bacteriophage possesses the power of 

 adaptation, especially in the direction of the acquisition of virulences, it may 

 acquire in the lesion the power of attacking the microbe "X," the true causative 

 agent of the disease. 



