176 THE BACTERIOPHAGE 



The expression "Shiga + + ++, Hiss +, Flexner 0, Typhoid 

 ++, Para A 0, Para B 0, B. coli + ++" means, then, that the 

 bacteriophage contained in the filtrate derived from the stool 

 of an individual presents an extreme virulence for B. dysenteriae 

 Shiga, a weak virulence for B. dysenteriae Hiss, an average viru- 

 lence for B. typhosus, and a high virulence for B. coli, with none 

 for B. dysenteriae Flexner or for the paratyphoids A or B. 



BACILLARY DYSENTERY 



The subjoined curves show, much better than any explanation, 

 the relations which exist between the condition of the patient 

 and the virulence of the intestinal bacteriophage against this 

 pathogenic bacterium. The upper tracing gives the number of 

 stools in 24 hours; the single line indicating stools without blood, 

 the double line those containing blood and mucus. On the lower 

 portion of the chart is indicated (1) by the dotted line, the viru- 

 lence of the bacteriophage for the colon bacillus; (2) by the broken 

 line, the virulence of the bacteriophage for the stock strain of the 

 Shiga bacillus which had been maintained for a long time under 

 laboratory cultivation; and (3) by the heavy line, the virulence 

 for the Shiga strain taken from the patient himself. 



The five cases given as examples have been treated at the 

 Pasteur Hospital. It has thus been possible to follow them with 

 all necessary attention and to obtain material for examination 

 as often as the investigation demanded; at least once, often 

 several times, during the course of each day. 1 



For these examples, cases of different severity have been selected. 

 In all of them B. dysenteriae Shiga was isolated from the stools 

 at the beginning of the disease. 



1. Germaine Mel. . . . (sixteen years, fig. 1). This was a 

 mild case of dysentery. The patient was an inmate in an institu- 

 tion where there were about thirty young girls. During the 

 period from the 12th to the 22nd of July about twenty of these 

 girls presented intestinal disturbances of sudden onset, accom- 

 panied by a profuse diarrhea, followed by a rapid amelioration 



1 1 must here thank the sisters, nurses in the Pasteur Hospital, who 

 have with unwearying kindness provided me with the numerous specimens 

 which have allowed me to follow the condition of the patients. 



