SPECIFIC THERAPY WITH BACTERIOPHAGE SUSPENSIONS 563 



ulent (race h of Gratia, for example) with a maximum virulence. 

 After the complete bacteriophagy of a suspension containing about 

 250 milHon cocci per cubic centimeter, filter the suspension; never heat it. 



For furunculosis and folliculitis inject 1 cc. of the suspension sub- 

 cutaneously, at any point whatever, but preferably under the skin of 

 the abdomen. The injection should be once repeated, after an inter- 

 val not greater than 48 hours. 



Local abscesses and anthrax should be treated by an inoculation of 

 1 to 2 cc. into the immediate vicinity of the lesion, by one, or better 

 several, injections surrounding the focus. When it is possible, it is 

 still better to inject directly into the lesion itself, using a very fine needle. 

 In this case 0.25 to 0.5 cc. of the bacteriophage suspension is adequate. 



For septicemias, a single intravenous injection of 2 to 3 cc. should be 

 given. 



For sycosis, the technic of Gougerot and Peyre should be adopted. 



For urinary tract infections, give two subcutaneous injections of 1 cc, 

 with a 48 hour interval. At the same time, morning and evening instill 

 into the bladder 10 cc. of the bacteriophage suspension diluted in 40 

 cc. of physiological saline. The instillations may be repeated over as 

 long a period as is desired, without any harmful results. Generally, 

 however, treatment is completed in 2 days, that is, with two injections 

 and four instillations. These usually effect a cure. 



What element present in the bacteriophage suspension causes the 

 recovery? It is certain that the dissolved bacterial substances do not 

 remain inert, but the following facts show, it seems to me, that the 

 principal role is played by the bacteriophage protobes themselves as 

 living beings parasitic of the staphylococci. 



Everyone who has worked with vaccine therapy knows that in the 

 great majority of cases a very great many injections of autogenous 

 vaccines are necessary in order to obtain a demonstrable therapeutic 

 effect, and even then such an effect is not always observed. All of 

 those who have worked with bacteriophagic therapy mention the fact 

 that they have successfully treated cases which had resisted a series of 

 injections of autogenous vaccines. And yet a single injection of a 

 bacteriophage suspension usually caused an immediate cure. 



We have already considered the question of the autonomy of the 

 bacteriophage as regards the bacterium; we may recall the experiment 

 of Gratia carried out with the two races of the bacteriophage, one uni- 

 virulent, solely active for one strain of Staphylococcus albus, the other 

 poly virulent. In this connection the following experiment is of in- 

 terest, since it forms a corollary to Gratia's. 



