Bacterial Tenants of the Normal Human Body 71 



its alkaline contents, rich in proteins and carbohydrates in solution, 

 are eminently appropriate for bacterial life. The flora of the intes- 

 tine is, therefore, increased in number and variety of organisms as we 

 descend from its beginning to its end. In the small intestine there 

 may be no bacteria in the upper part of the jejunum, but in most cases 

 Bacillus lactis aerogenes and bacilli of the colon groups are found. 

 These increase in number as the iliocecal valve is reached. The 

 cecum shows large numbers of colon bacilli. The rectum con- 

 tains, in addition, many putrefactive organisms, such as Bacillus 

 putrificus, Bacillus proteus vulgaris, members of the Bacillus subtilis 

 group, and acid-producing organisms, such as Bacillus acidophilus. 



An interesting and thorough study of these organisms of the 

 bowel and their distribution has been made by Kohlbrugge.* The 

 total number of permanent residents is not known. During in- 

 fancy the predominating organism seems to be Bacillus ]actis 

 aerogenes; during adult life, Bacillus coli. Streptococci, especially 

 Streptococcus coli gracilis, are also very common, if not invariable, 

 inhabitants of the intestine. The total bacteria that finally appear 

 in the feces, according to the studies of Strasburgerf and Steele,J 

 may reach the enormous figure of 38 per cent, of the total bulk. 



MacNeal, Latzer, and Kerr, in an elaborate work upon the 

 "Fecal Bacteria of Healthy Men," found that they furnished 46.3 

 per cent, of the total fecal nitrogen. 



Rettger|| found the Bacillus enteritidis sporogenes regularly pres- 

 ent in the human feces and believes it to be responsible for some of 

 the putrefactive processes that occur there. 



The vagina, on account of its acid secretions, harbors but few 

 bacteria. In a study of the vaginal secretions of 40 pregnant 

 women who had not been subjected to digital examinations, douches, 

 or baths, Bergholm** found but few organisms of limited variety. 



The uterus harbors no bacteria in health, and but few in disease. 

 The intervening acidity of the vagina makes it difficult for bacteria 

 from the surface to penetrate so deeply, and the tenacious alkaline 

 mucus of the cervix is an additional barrier to their progress. Care- 

 ful studies of the bacteriology of the uterine secretions have been 

 made by Gottschalk and Immerwahrtt and Doderlein and 



Winterintz.Jt 



The urethra harbors a few cocci which enter the meatus from the 

 surface and remain local in distribution. 



The normal bladder is free from bacteria. 



The nose constantly receives enormous numbers of bacteria in the 



* 'Centralbl. f. Bakt.," etc., 1901, Bd. xxx, pp. 10 and 70. 



t 'Zeitschrift fur klin. Med.," 1902, XLIV, 5 and 6; 1903, XLVITI, 5 and 6. 



j 'Jour. Amer. Med. Assoc.," Aug. 24, 1907, p. 647. 



'Journal of Infectious Diseases," 1909, vi, pp. 132, 571. 



|j 'Jour, of Biological Chemistry," Aug., 1906, n, T and 2, p. 71. 

 ** 'Archiv f. Gynak.," Bd. LXIV, Heft 3. 

 ft Ibid., 1896, Bd. L, Heft 3. 

 tJ"Beitrage fur Geburtshulfe und Gynakologie," Bd. in, Heft 2. 



