Therapeutic application of Bacillus acidophilus

Abstract

Inx previous communications to the Society (1920 and 1921) we stated that Bacillus acidophilus may be implanted in the human intestine by the oral administration of (1) minimum quantities of lactose or dextrin, (2) whey broth cultures of B. acidophilus, or (3) a combination of lactose and the acidophilus culture in which the amounts of each are cut in half. Early in 1921 the milk culture of this aciduric organism was substituted for the lactose- and whey broth cultures and subsequent implantation experiments have been carried on with the acidophilus milk. In the work on pathological cases we received the friendly coöperation of practicing physicians, who not only supplied us with many of the most interesting subjects, but who furnished us with a history of the individual cases, and in two instances with X-ray photographs. The subjects comprising the first group under observation may be divided for convenience into the following classes: These 29 cases are exclusive of those which have come under our observation within the past two months; nor do they include those which have been and are being studied in other institutions through our cooperation. Brief reference will be made to only a few of these 29 cases. The subjects were instructed to bring to the laboratory one or two specimens of stool before taking the acidophilus treatment, and for a while daily samples, when procurable, after the first use of the acidophilus milk or of the milk plus stated amounts of lactose. Bacteriological examinations were made of these specimens and the results correlated with the clinical findings. Persons who had been afflicted with chronic constipation usually received one quart of the acidophilus milk plus IOO grams of lactose daily, the powdered lactose being added to the milk in the flask and the contents thoroughly shaken.