THE TREATMENT OF A LUNG ABSCESS DUE TO BACILLUS COLI WITH A LYTIC FILTRATE

Numerous reports on bacteriophage therapy in human infections have been made with some apparently favorable and some poor results. A critical review of this form of therapy has been published by Eaton and Bayne-Jones, 1 who call attention to the more plausible and possible means of application of the lytic principle in vivo. This review indicates from the experimental and scientific points of view those cases in which such therapy is at least warranted. Eaton and Bayne-Jones called attention to the specificity of the agent for the organism producing the pathologic condition, the inhibitory action of body fluids, the species susceptibility of the organism in in vivo experimental infections, and the mode of application. They also state that "it is not certain whether the bacteriophage itself or other constituents of the lytic filtrates produce the effects observed," when an improvement in a disease process is noticed. In the following