Newer Knowledge of Bacteriology Applied to Ophthalmology

Abstract

Rough colonies (R) are commonly isolated from skin surfaces around the eye. These R colonies are mutants of the smooth (S) staphylococcic colony normally recovered. Because the S-to-R change is usually an attenuation phenomenon, experiments were performed to see whether the degree of S-to-R mutation on the eyelids would explain the absence of pathological conditions of the lids of some persons and their presence in others. In ten normal subjects who had never had any pathological condition of the lids, the recovered organism was Staphylococcus epidermidis-albus and the average percentage relationship of R to S was R 30 and S 70. In six abnormal subjects, who were predisposed to styes and furuncles, the recovered organism with Staphylococcus aureus in five cases and staphylococcus citreus in one, and the percentage relationship of R to S was R 2 and S 98. When there was a predilection of one side over the other to infection, the R percentage was low on the affected side and considerably higher on the side that was seemingly immune. In subjects who recovered rapidly and spontaneously from styes, there was an associated high percentage of R colonies. In those who recovered rapidly, the presence of Staphylococcus aureus resulted in a high number of R colonies and with the return of the flora to Staphylococcus epidermidis-albus the percentage of R colonies decreased. A high percentage of R colonies from the skin around the eye seems to be associated both with freedom from pathology and with rapid recovery if pathology does occur. From the Department of Bacteriology and Preventive Medicine, the University of Illinois College of Medicine, the Research Laboratories of the State Department of Public Health, and the Chicago Medical School.