SPECIFIC THERAPY WITH BACTERIOPHAGE SUSPENSIONS 577 



Meier found that the filtrates were effective only when injected early 

 in the disease; when given after the animal had been sick for some days 

 the injections were without benefit, indeed, at times it appeared as 

 though they aggravated the condition. 



The principle which causes recovery does not remain long in the 

 intestine; after two weeks it had completely disappeared. 



Among the experiments of Meier we may mention the following. In 

 a single barn there were 9 cows, one of which showed the symptoms of 

 aphthous fever. All 9 were injected with filtrate. The sick cow re- 

 covered promptly, the other 8 remained free from the disease. A 

 comparable experiment made in a second barn gave the same results. 

 In all, Meier's experiments involve some 650 animals, including both 

 cattle and goats. 



Such are the facts as recorded by Meier. Aphthous fever is a common 

 disease with which experimental work can readily be performed, and 

 it is to be hoped that these investigations will be continued and 

 confirmed. 



RESUME 



The experimental studies upon the possible utilization of the bacterio- 

 phage protobe in the treatment of infectious disease, comprising already 

 a very considerable number of cases, show that the use of the bacterio- 

 phage — phagotherapy — represents a specific therapy for the bacillary 

 dysenteries and for staphylococcus infections. 



The results obtained in a few cases of bubonic plague allow us to hope 

 that it is the same for this disease. 



With respect to the other infectious diseases, the results obtained are 

 encouraging, but as yet a perfected method of treatment has not been 

 attained. 



CONCLUSION 



In Part Three of this text we have considered what is now known on 

 the subject of exogenous immunity. The era of discussion is not yet 

 passed, indeed the discussion is far from closed, but in the meantime 

 therapy by means of the bacteriophage — phagotherapy — ^is being ap- 

 plied more and more extensively. Those authors, who, two or three 

 years ago, declared that their experience was in direct contradiction to 

 mine, that they obtained no beneficial results from the use of the bac- 

 teriophage, one after another reconsider their first conclusions. 



For certain diseases — bacillary dysentery, staphylococcus infections, 

 colon bacillus infections — phagotherapy is becoming an established 



