556 THE BACTERIOPHAGE 



disinfection of polluted surface water.' While it may be true that in highly polluted 

 water the phage shows limited degree of regeneration and for a time causes dissolu- 

 tion of some bacteria present,^ this process is very limited in its significance. ^ The 

 growth of bacteria is usually slow at best/ and the phage which is present is quickly 

 diluted and dispersed. Often the industrial outflow causes its direct destruction or 

 adsorption in inert organic matter.^ Moreover, if any lysis of susceptible bacteria does 

 take place, the resistant bacteria remain unaffected.^ 



The hope of utilizing bacteriophage as an agent for prevention and therapy of 

 infection lies in finding the means of removing the obstacles to its activity in its natu- 

 ral environment and allowing it to act as freely as it does in a test tube. 



'Arnold, L.: Am. J. Pub. Health, 15, 950. 1925; Jeney, A.: Ccnlralbl. f. Bakleiiol., Or'ig., 102, 

 263. 1927; Flu, P. C: ibid., 59, 317. 1923. 



^ Arloing, F., and Sempe, N.: Covtpt. rend. Soc. de biol., 94, 191. 1926. 



sZdansky, E.: loc. eit. 



''Arloing, F., Sempe, N., and Chavanne, M.: Bidl. Acad, de med., 93, 184. 1925. 



s Arnold, L.: loc. ciL; Nakashima, T. : Ccnlralbl. f. Bakteriol., Orig., 94, 303. 1925; Bilouet, V.: 

 Compt. rend. Soc. de biol., 94, 710. 1926. 



^ Zdansky, E. : loc. cit. 



