Journal of Applied Microscopy. 631 



1. The presence of micro-organisms in the stomach is accidental. 



2. The number of micro-organisms in tlie stomach depends directly upon the 

 number in the mouth cavity. 



3. Owing to the greater ease of assuming an acid reaction, the suckhng's 

 stomach possesses greater germicidal power than does the stomach of the 

 adult. 



Abelous (19), in 1889, published the results of his investigations on the bac- 

 teria in the stomach. He inoculated plates with stomach contents, by which 

 means he isolated sixteen species, as follows: 1. Sarcince ventriculi, (2) Bacillus 

 pyocyanus, (3) Bacterium lactis setogenes, (4) Bacillus mycoides, (5) Bacillus sub- 

 tillis, (6) Bacillus amylobacter, (7) Vibrio rugula. The remaining nine species 

 consisted of one coccus and eight baccili. 



The results of his further inquiries, with regard to the action of the gastric 

 juice on the bacteria, and the relation of these organisms to digestion, will be 

 considered under II and III respectively. 



Fiorentini (20), in 1890, while examining the bovine stomach contents for 

 infusoria, mentions that in the third and fourth stomachs, and especially in the 

 latter, may be found large numbers of motile and immotUe bacteria, micrococci, 

 and very often also the fungus Oidium albicans. 



Capitan and Morau (21), in 1890, isolated three distinct species from the 

 human stomach. 



Ewald (22), in his book, entitled, " Diseases of the Stomach," published in 

 1892, mentions that, under certain conditions of abnormal chemical changes in 

 the stomach contents, microscopical examinations of the same will reveal numer- 

 ous cocci, vibriones, and masses of zooglea. He does not, however, specify the 

 species that may thus be found. 



Gillespie (23), in 1893, published the results of his profound investigations 

 on the "Bacteria of the Stomach." The objects of his investigations were : to 

 study the biochemic properties of the bacteria he isolated from the stomach con- 

 tents of hospital patients ; to estimate the effects of different strengths of hydro- 

 chloric acid acting on them ; and to deduce from the facts observed any points 

 bearing on the etiology of dyspepsia, and the treatment of that group of diseases. 

 The following is a list of most of the organisms he isolated : 



Bacillus coli comunis, Sarcinge ventriculi, Mucor, Saccharomyces cervisiae, 

 Leptothrix, Proteus vulgaris, Bacillus subtilis. Micrococcus candicans. Bacillus 

 luteus liq., a micrococcus giving an alkaline reaction to bouillon, bacillus 

 flourescens liq., Rosa hefe (pink torula), bacillus (Weisser?), a bacillus liquefying 

 gelatin, a non-motile colon, Aspergillus niger. Bacillus septicus agrigenus. Bac- 

 terium lactis aerogenes. 



The results he obtained with reference to the behavior of some of these 

 organisms in the presence of different percentages of hydrochloric acid, and with 

 respect to their proteolytic properties, will be considered under II and III 

 respectively. 



Since the investigations of Gillespie, no important efforts are reported to 

 have been made to investigate this subject in any of its phases. A few minor 

 observations, however, are on record. 



