93 



Furthermore, as these anaerobes are extremely resistant they would 

 persist in water for considerable periods beyond any possible danger of 

 transmission of intestinal disease (as typhoid, dysentery, cholera) the or- 

 ganisms of which (being non spore bearing) die off quite rapidly in water. 

 Again they resist disinfection and other methods of water purification, 

 which experience has shown efficient and sufficient for elimination of 

 disease producing microorganisms. The presence of these spore formers 

 in a treated water is entirely insignificant as an index of danger from ty- 

 phoid or similar diseases. 



It is conceivable, however, that some members of the Welchii group 

 may themselves be responsible for intestinal disturbances. Herter in this 

 country, and Klein in England have considered Cl. welchii as a cause of 

 diarrhea in children. Such affections have been traced in a few instances 

 to milk. 



As an index of specific infection, the determination of the Welchii 

 group in water analysis may possibly be of value, but if employed for this 

 purpose, it would obviously be necessary to first determine the particular 

 species or variety which is an intestinal pathogen. The terms Cl. welchii 

 and Cl. (enteritidis) sporogenes, as employed by water works opeartors 

 and analysts, designate not a specific organism but the whole group of 

 anaerobic lactose fermenters. Some of these are known to be responsible 

 for serious wound infections but many are harmless and no specific strain 

 has been definitely proven to be pathogenic when restricted to the intes- 

 tinal tract. 



The Anaerobic Sporing Lactose Fermenting Species and Vari- 

 eties. These are for the most part rather long rods, possessing central or 

 subterminal spores usually slightly larger than the diameter of the cell. 

 During the war considerable work on anaerobes was in progress and an 

 extensive literature has developed which was carefully summarized in the 

 Special Report No. 39 of the Medical Research Committee of England. 



Table LIIL, taken for the most part from the foregoing report sum- 

 marizes the characteristics of the lactose fermenting anaerobes. 



TABLE LIIL FERMENTATION REACTION OF LACTOSE FERMENTING SPORING 



ANAEROBES. 



*Four types have been differentiated on innlin and glycerol fermentation. 

 Type I. Inulin_|_, glycerol_|_. Type II. Inulin , glycerol_|_. Type III. 

 glycerol . Type IV. Inulin , glycerol . 



Inulin_|_, 



