328 INFECTIONS OF THE DIGESTIVE TRACT 



tive bacteria. The putrefactive bacteria find in meat 

 proteid and casein good media for their support. 



The occurrence of large numbers of fragments of meat 

 or smaller aggregations of meat fibers in the fa3ces is 

 an indication of the imperfect utilization of meat and 

 should operate as a signal for its more cautious and 

 intelligent use. It has already been mentioned that 

 the intestinal contents of carnivora contain many more 

 putrefactive, spore-bearing bacteria than is the case 

 with the herbivora. The full meaning of this observa- 

 tion is not at the present time clear. As certain an- 

 aerobes, especially the gas-bacilli, are closely associated 

 with the development of some putrefactive disturbances 

 of high intensity, it seems worth while to investigate 

 more carefully than has yet been done the influence of 

 meat upon the growth of the putrefactive anaerobes. 

 Until further knowledge has been obtained in regard to 

 the influence of meat upon the development of putre- 

 factive anaerobes, in cases of well-marked saccharo- 

 butyric putrefaction, it seems rational to advise the 

 practice of moderation in the use of meats in the dietary 

 of such patients. In practice I restrict the use of meat 

 to one meal each day and keep its amount moderate. 

 There may even be conditions in which there is something 

 to be gained by eliminating meat entirely from the die- 

 tary for short periods of time. The desirability of this 

 more extreme measure must be judged partly by the 

 clinical effects. It may be found that in some persons 

 who have long been accustomed to the use of large 

 quantities of meat in the dietary, a complete deprivation 



