212 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLII. No. 1076 



The net result of these experiments 

 would suggest that man has a bacterial 

 population in his intestinal tract; that 

 under normal conditions the organisms in 

 the intestinal tract are fairly characteristic 

 and constant; normally they are harmless; 

 they may be protective ; and that up to the 

 present time it is practically impossible to 

 get rid of them. 



Attempts have been made to sterilize the 

 intestinal contents, either by administering 

 sterile food or by the use of antiseptics. 

 Sterile food appears to reduce somewhat 

 the numbers of intestinal bacteria, but the 

 reduction is not great, and this line of 

 experimentation has not been successful. 

 Many different kinds of antiseptics have 

 also been tried, and while various results 

 have been claimed, the net result appears 

 to be that the temporary reduction in num- 

 bers, which is frequently observed, is 

 largely referable to increased peristalsis 

 and quick removal of the intestinal con- 

 tents. It has become apparent from these 

 observations that the strength of anti- 

 septics necessary to sterilize the intestinal 

 contents would be sufficient to kill the host 

 long before the bacteria were eliminated. 



The intestinal bacteria may become a 

 menace to the health of the host. Occa- 

 sionally, adventitious bacteria, as the 

 typhoid, dysentery, cholera, or para- 

 typhoid organisms, much less commonly the 

 tubercle bacillus, may gain lodgment in the 

 intestinal tract, increase greatly in num- 

 bers, invade the tissues of the host, and. if 

 eare is not taken to sterilize the feces, pro- 

 duce progressive disease from host and 

 host. From the individual point of view 

 the intestinal flora under ordinary condi- 

 tions are innocuous, and perhaps even to 

 a moderate degree protective. Under 

 abnormal conditions, when progressively 

 pathogenic bacteria gain a foothold in the 

 intestinal tract, the intestinal flora may be- 

 come a menace to health and even to life. 



The significance of the intestinal contents 

 to man in general is perfectly obvious. 

 The tremendous numbers of bacteria which 

 can be excreted daily, particularly if they 

 happen to be disease-producing, as typhoid, 

 may become a matter of real concern to the 

 health of communities, for the disposal of 

 feces in a manner to render them innocuous 

 is not a particularly simple matter. Once 

 the intestinal bacteria have escaped into 

 water supplies, or have gained access to 

 foods, the progressive damage which may be 

 brought about may be very great. 



A. I. Kendall 



Northwestern University 



PROTECTION OF BIEDS IN THE MALAY 

 PENINSULA 

 Dr. William T. Hornaday, director of the 

 New York Zoological Park, has received the 

 following letter, written on July 12, from the 

 officers of the Dutch committee on the protec- 

 tion of birds, of which Dr. C. Kerbert, director 

 of the Amsterdam Zoological Gardens, is chair- 

 man : 



We are pleased to be able to inform you that 

 the committee for the advancement of a prohibit- 

 ion of the export of birds and parts of birds from 

 the Dutch Colonies has received from the corres- 

 ponding member of the committee. Dr. J. C. 

 Konigsberger, director of " 's Lands Plantentuin ' ' 

 at Buitenzorg, Java, the following information 

 about the shooting of birds of paradise: 



1. This year (and probably also in future) the 

 shooting is limited to these species: Paradisea 

 minor, Seleucides nigricans and Ptilornis magnifi- 

 ciis. The export of skins of all other species is 

 prohibited by the Dutch Colonial Government, and 

 these skins have therefore no commercial value. 



2. Shooting is totally prohibited in the islands 

 of the "Radja Ampat" group (Misole, Sala- 

 watti, Batanta and Waigou), and in those of the 

 Geelvink Bay in New Guinea, as well as in two 

 large reservations on New Guinea, on both sides 

 of the Geelvink Bay. 



By these means the protection of the rarer birds 

 of paradise is obtained, and we have every hope 

 that in future the shooting of all birds of para- 

 dise will be totally stopped. 



