The Role of Certain Varieties of Bacterium Coli in Gastro-Enteritis of Babies

Abstract

Summary1. In gastro-enteritis of babies caused by pathogenic varieties of Bact. coli the infection extends up the whole length of the small gut. Quantitative bacteriological examinations showed the contents of the upper intestine to harbour Bact. coli in numbers usually found only in faeces.2. Bact. coli O 111, O 55, O 26, etc. are pathogens.3. The syndrome of gastro-enteritis of babies associated with Bact. coli resembles cholera clinically, pathologically and bacteriologically.4. There is a place in bacteriology for quantitative tests as distinct from qualitative tests.I owe my thanks to many people: to Dr A. H. James for teaching me his methods of getting samples of duodenal juice; to Prof. A. G. Watkins, Dr P. T. Bray, Dr Emrys Harries, Dr S. Rosehill, Dr Bowen Owen and Dr W. R. Nash for allowing me access to their patients; to Dr T. E. Parry, Dr W. Mackay and Dr R. D. Gray for allowing me to attend and collect specimens from autopsies; it would be ungracious not to thank several ward sisters to whom I must have been a great nuisance. To my technician John Smith I am exceedingly indebted.