Studies on the Transformation of the Intestinal Flora, with Special Reference to the Implantation of Bacillus Acidophilus

Abstract

regarded as equations in t have a unique common solution, so may be arbitrarily taken and 0 = tSp. The equations of 1 are x -Ky = 3z -Xw= 0 and the cubic is x = a, y = a2, z = a, w = 1; or finally the involu-tion is a' -Ka-2 + ju(3a -X) a single one determined by each value of m. Putting X = x-KY, Y = x-Xy, Z = 3z-Xw, W = 3z-KW the planes X = 0, Y = 0, Z = 0, W = 0 are the faces of the tetrahedron whose edges are a, c, 1, 1'. The collineations (X' = p1X, Y' = p2Y, Z' = piZ, W' = p2W) leave invariant the lines abcdll' evidently but trans-form any cubic tangent to abcd into an infinity of others. The coincidence of the equation between m and n with the modular equation leads to this geometrical theorem. If four planes of a pencil of axis 1 touch a cubic and the tangents meet I in ABCD and if the planes meet the cubic in simple intersections A'B'C'D' then {A!B'C'D'} -{ABCD} . In a recent communication in these PROCEEDINGS 6, 1920, pp. 423-426 the results of feeding experiments with albino rats were presented. Simi-lar attempts to implant Bacillus acidophilus in man have led to the fol-lowing conclusions. Thorough implantation may be effected by the daily administration of 300-400 grams of lactose, 300 cubic centimeters of a whey broth cul-ture of B. acidophilus (McFarland nephelometer turbidity scale of 5), or by a combination of 150 grams of lactose and 150 cc. of the whey broth culture. Complete transformation of bacterial types may be brought about also by the daily use of 500-1000 cc. of acidophilus milk culture. The same results are obtained with dextrin as with lactose, but dex-trose, sucrose and maltose exert no flora-transforming influence. The time required for changing the flora varies with the nature and the amounts of the material administered. The most rapid implantation was obtained with the Bacillus adophilus milk. In two of the subjects 500 cc. of the milk brought about marked alteration within two to three days. Some of the subjects that were but slightly affected by 500 cc. of the milk culture showed very pronounced transformation when 100 grams of lactose were added daily to this amount. No change could be detected in the hydrogen ion concentration of the 704