THE BACTERIA OF THE HUMAN BODY 32! 



Hohein has investigated the number of bacteria in plate 

 cultures made from underclothing of various kinds and worn 

 for different periods of time. Sterilized materials were placed 

 in direct contact with the body surfaces. On linen, wool, and 

 cotton the colonies which developed varied in number from 

 28 to 600 in one day and from 4180 to 6799 in two days. In 

 four days the number of colonies could not be counted. 



Maggiora and Bordoni-Uffredussi have investigated the 

 species of bacteria found on the epidermis of the feet. The 

 former has isolated twenty-two non-pathogenic species from 

 the feet. Some of these when grown artificially produced 

 disagreeable odors. 



Miquel reports that the wash water from the laundries on 

 the Seine River contains more bacteria than the water of the 

 Paris sewers. 



The conjunctiva of the normal eye possesses a large variety 

 of bacteria. It is claimed that these bacteria come primarily 

 from the air, and the species found in the eye have also been 

 repeatedly isolated from this source. Micrococci, pathogenic 

 and non-pathogenic, compose the majority of the organisms 

 present. 



Bacteria of the Genito-urinary Tract. Other exposed 

 membranous surfaces of the body also show a large number 

 of bacteria. For example, the mucous secretions from the 

 surfaces of the vulva and vagina of the female and the secre- 

 tions found in the meatus urinarius of the male and female 

 show a great many species of bacteria. The uterus, Fallo- 



