CHAPTER, 11. 
A STUDY OF THE BACTERIOLOGY OF FECES OF MEN 
AND OTHER ANIMALS. 
As the object of this small work is to show the changes 
which occur after fecal material has been added to water, 
it is obvious that a careful study of the bacteria found in fresh 
faeces is very important. The subject has been studied care- 
fully for the last 4 years, the feces of men and cattle being 
selected for the work. The reasons for the choice are many. 
First, because MacConkey has already partially investigated 
both these in Europe, and secondly, cattle are extremely 
numerous in this country, so that although pollution derived 
from towns is probably of a mixed origin, that derived from 
the surface washings of agricultural lands is derived almost 
solely from cattle. The subject will be divided into 3 separate 
headings :— 
(x1) A study of the lactose fermenters. 
(2) A study of the class of organisms that ferment glu- 
cose but not lactose ; and 
(3) A study of the fecal streptococci. 
Lactose fermenting organisms in feces. 
The various points which we wish to elucidate in a study 
of this subject are, (1) What organisms are common in feces, 
and consequently may be expected to be present in polluted 
water ; (2) whether the results of the work by MacConkey 
and others on feces in England are similar to those obtained 
in India? (3) Whether any particular organism exists im 
human feces that is not met with in cowdung or vice versa ? 
(4) Whether the relative percentage of various organisms, Or 
the percentage in MacConkey’s 4 groups, in human and ani- 
mal feeces can be worked out so as to demonstrate the existence 
of any constant relation between the bacteriological flora in 
each. The work of MacConkey (Journal of Hygiene—19 July 
1905 and 1906) shows that the relative percentages in the four 
