INFECTIONS OF THE DIGESTIVE TRACT 329 



would be followed by loss of strength, and this would 

 hardly be compensated for by a slight gain in the direc- 

 tion of a diminution of the anaerobes in the large 

 intestine. 



It is often a difficult matter to determine how much 

 food it is safe to permit a patient with chronic excessive 

 saccharo-butyric putrefaction. If the patient be weak, 

 anaemic, and emaciated, or muscularly atrophic, there 

 is often a strong temptation to feed generously or indeed 

 excessively. I consider it bad practice to urge the use 

 of large amounts of food at the beginning of a course of 

 treatment, since this must result in at least some exag- 

 geration of the putrefactive process. But if rest can be 

 secured to the patient and a more thorough digestion 

 and resorption of food can be achieved, it becomes safe 

 to increase the food gradually. It is much better to 

 devote a few weeks to this elevation of the digestive 

 functions than to proceed hastily to inaugurate a gener- 

 ous regimen. Even under the most favorable conditions 

 the effect of the diet must be carefully watched. A dis- 

 tinct increase in the ethereal sulphates, an increase in 

 the numbers of gas-bacilli in the movements, an increase 

 of intestinal flatulence or the development of emotional 

 irritability or mental depression are signs that the food 

 should be decreased in quantity. Intestinal flatulence 

 calls for a diminution in carbohydrate food. 



Methods designed to reduce the Numbers of Putre- 

 factive Anaerobes. Among the agents most used with 

 a view to reducing fermentative and putrefactive de- 

 composition in the gastro-enteric tract are the so-called 



