In recent years, several investigations have revealed the widespread distribution of 2-aminosugars. They are common constituents of a broadly classified group of substances which are known as mucopolysaccharides, having diverse biological functions. With the exception of chitin, all the mucopolysaccharides so far isolated and analysed, have been found to possess, besides aminosugars and other sugars, such substances as glucuronic acid, sulphates, acetates and phosphates. A broad classification of mucopolysaccharides is given in Table I (Meyer, 1943).

During an investigation on the isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from cerebrospinal fluids of patients with the meningitis, we have observed and previously reported (64a) that in some patients tubercle bacilli could be isolated for long periods of time during treatment, and in others they could not be recovered beyond the first weeks of therapy. In both instances, however, the bacteriological findings became negative while the patients were sick, and their cerebrospinal fluid abnormal. Streptomycin and isoniazid, given to the patients continuously and for long periods of time, may vitiate the results of bacteriological examination.

Typhoid patients treated early in the disease with chloromycetin (or chloramphenicol) do not produce, in most cases, normal antibodies to S. typhosa. Such patients may show complete absence of antibodies to this organism as may be demonstrated by the Widal agglutination reaction. The relapse rate of these patients is high and the carrier rate is not improved by the treatment with this antibiotic. However, if vaccine is given, normal antibodies develop to a high titer.

The study of steroid metabolism began in the eighteenth century with the demonstration of the presence of several steroids (cholesterol and the bile acids) in the animal organism. The discovery of the steroid hormones and the realization of their wide physiological significance, however, diverted the attention of most workers in the field to the study of those steroids possessing endocrine activity. Only cholesterol, by virtue of the abundance of this sterol in all mammalian tissues and its importance in pathological conditions, continued to be investigated. [...]

At present there is no general scheme or well defined criteria which may be followed in placing an organism within the genus corynebacterium. Morphological and physiological studies to date, have not provided a satisfactory solution. A rather extensive amount of serological investigations has been reported, but is mainly concerned with the type species, G. diphtheriae. The majority of workers has been occupied with typing studies on the 3 cultural groups of c. diphtheriae.

The propagation of their own kind seems to be the fundamental aim of all forms of life. It is equally true that competition, of whatever nature it may be, threatens to curtail the overwhelming increase of any one kind of life. In other words, there is a struggle for existence -- a struggle that attains a tremendous magnitude in the lives of orgasims living as parasites on others. A parasite that exploits its host to the point of extinction is, itself, in danger of annihilation. Hence, the only motto for any successful parasite is the well being of its host.

A review was made of the literature on acetic acid bacteria. Publications were found about stock-culture media, classification and the nutritional requirements for the growth of Acetobacter species. Research had not appeared to be done, however, on either the physical conditions or the nutrients relative to an efficient production of acetic acid from ethyl alcohol. The work reported in this thesis is an attempt to provide information that heretofore has been lacking about the Acetobacter group of bacteria. [...]

A number of bacteria have been isolated by the soil perfusion method of Lees and Quastel (1946) which actively metabolize cholic acid (Quastel, Scholefield and Stevenson, 1952); during the course of experiments wlth these organisms, it was found that they induced a significantly consistent lymphocytopenia upon injection into rabbits (Stevenson and DeVries, 1952). [...]

Note: Page 49 missing. / The term gastro-enteritis is applied to a set of clinical signs and symptoms, namely: diarrhea, vomiting, and usually some degree of elevated temperature. Other symptoms, such as nausea, cramps, headache and anorexia may or may not be present. Synonyms for the term gastro-enteritis that have been commonly used are: dyspepsia, summer diarrhea, enteritis, cholera infantum, epidemic diarrhea of infants, and infantile diarrhea and vomiting.

In the early 1890’s Metchnikoff demonstrated that Bacillus subtilis was able to produce substances which neutralized diphtheria toxin, tetanus toxin and snake venom after a period of in vitro combination. It was further shown that fungi like Isaries, Sporotrichous, and Torula, and certain parasites of insects and humans neutralized the activity of such toxins. Calmette working with a strain of Bacillus subtilis isolated by Metchnikoff, observed that it produced substances which at least partially neutralized the toxicity of snake venom.