230 INFECTIONS OF THE DIGESTIVE TRACT 



level of the digestive tract one finds bacteria capable 

 of forming hydrogen sulphide when grown in peptone 

 bouillon. These observations were made upon the 

 digestive tract of infants. The mixed flora from 

 various portions of the large intestine and lower part of 

 the ileum regularly gave hydrogen sulphide. Where the 

 inoculated material was derived from children dying 

 of pneumonia or some condition unconnected with de- 

 rangements of digestion, it was unusual to obtain hydro- 

 gen sulphide from bacteria derived from portions of the 

 tract lying above the lower part of the ileum. It was 

 frequently noted, however, in children dying from 

 marasmus that the flora obtained from the stomach and 

 from portions of the small intestine above the ileum 

 gave hydrogen sulphide when grown on peptone bouillon. 

 In some instances it was observed that more hydrogen 

 sulphide was formed from the bacteria derived from the 

 stomach of such children than from the bacteria obtained 

 from the rectum. 



We have at present very little satisfactory knowledge 

 of the influence of hydrogen sulphide upon the organism 

 in cases where the gas is liberated in the intestine. Fre- 

 quent reference is made in works dealing with auto- 

 intoxications to a publication by Senator, 1 concerning 

 what he regarded as a case of pure hydrothionsemia. 

 The patient in this instance was a man supposed to have 

 been well previously and who after an error in diet be- 



ia Ueber einen Fall von Hydrothionamie und iiber Selbstin- 

 fection durch abnorme Verdauungsvorgange," BerL klin. Wochen- 

 schr., v, p. 254, 1868. 



