Bacteriological and clinical studies of the diarrheal diseases of infancy : with reference to the bacillus dysenteriæ (shiga) from the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research / edited by Simon Flexner and L. Emmett Holt.

Date:
1904
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Bacteriological and clinical studies of the diarrheal diseases of infancy : with reference to the bacillus dysenteriæ (shiga) from the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research / edited by Simon Flexner and L. Emmett Holt. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University Libraries/Information Services, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University.

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    case the true Shiga type of organism (not mannite-fermenting) was isolated. The two forms of the bacillus were never found together in one case, either during life or post-mortem. In 3 of the 7 autopsies made, the Flexner-Harris type of organism was recovered from the intestinal mucous membrane and in one case the true Shiga or- ganism was isolated at post-mortem, it having been previously found in the stools during life. In one case no culture was made owing to the condition of the specimen, and in 2 cases the organism was not found, and in both of these cases, which were inter-current infections, the child died with normal stools several weeks after the dysentery infection. Conclusions.—In general, from this study we believe that bloody mucus or much mucus in the stools, where there is no reason for such an appearance, as intussusception, extreme purgation, etc., indicates infection with the B. dyscnteria-; that even a little mucus points to such an infection, if such stools have persisted for a long time. In the last thirteen months' service at the Babies' Hospital the B. dysen- teriae has been isolated from the stools of about one-half of the cases examined bacteriologically which exhibited symptoms of intestinal in- flammation. A certain number of cases of infantile diarrhea present a symptom- complex comparable to adult dysentery and are caused by the B. dysen- teriae. To this disease the term infantile dysentery may be properly applied. In its severe form and in the class of patients which make up the inmates of hospitals and other institutions for infants, the disease has a high mortality. Milder forms of intestinal inflammation may also be caused by the B. dysentcriae. While these are not usually serious, they may be so in very delicate children where as a terminal infection they may be the cause of death. In general the prognosis varies with the age and general nutrition of the child. Infantile dysentery is somewhat contagious. Even mild cases may cause a spread of the disease. Hence, disinfection of stools should be carefully practiced in every case.