THE DISTRIBUTION OF B. COLI COMMUNE 
By HARRIETTE CHICK, B.Sc, 1851 Exhibition Scholar 
PART II 
THE following experiments are a continuation of those described in a previous 
paper (T. T. Reports, Vol. III., p. 1), and will, I hope, serve to render 
them more complete. They were undertaken in order, if possible, to 
answer with more certainty the question whether substances containing B. coli might 
be considered to be polluted or not, and the only answer to such a question seemed 
to be a further study of the distribution ot the bacillus in question. 
The following material has been carefully studied in addition to that already 
described : — 
1 Air. 
2 Cultivated manured land. 
3 Road dust and sweepings, as well as road puddles. 
The experiments substantiate the view 1 have already put forward, and my 
present opinion is that the occurrence of this organism, as isolated by the method 
employed, may be looked upon as useful evidence of recent faecal contamination. 
At the same time, they show very strikingly a characteristic of B. coli, to which I 
have already drawn attention, viz. : — the very low resistance which it can offer to 
unfavourable conditions. 
I am aware that this opinion is not general among bacteriologists ; the state- 
ment of Kruse (Zeitschrift f. Hyg. u. Infect. XVII, S. 53) is constantly quoted, viz. : — 
that bacilli, closely resembling B. coli, are to be found everywhere, in air, soil, and 
water from every source. Weissenfeld (Zeitscb. f. Hyg. u. Infect., XXXIII, S. 78), 
has lately shown that in 100 samples of waters he found a 'coli-like' organism in 
'good' waters as well as 'bad,' if one litre were taken tor analysis. Using one 
cubic centimetre as a standard, I have found B. coli to be absent in that quantity in 
'good waters,' and absent in one litre in specially good, filtered, drinking water 
(7". Y. Reports, vol. Ill, pp. 14 and 16). A good sand filtration seems to be 
effectual in removing the bacillus, retaining it in the top layer. {See Table I I, T. T. 
Reports, vol. Ill, p. 1 5). 
Air. — I have endeavoured to find any satisfactory experimental foundation 
for the statement that B. coli is to be found in the air, and the only description of 
