A technique is described for the preparation of a vaccine from coliform bacilli isolated from the faeces of a patient and agglutinated by his blood serum.
The encouraging results obtained in the treatment of a number of patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, chronic rheumatism, and allied diseases with an autogenous vaccine prepared by this technique, are reported.
The absence of agglutinins for coliform bacilli from the blood of healthy persons is established, while it is shown that such agglutinins are present in high concentration in the group of diseases under consideration.
A report is made on the result of attempts to classify the coliform bacilli by cultural and serological reactions.
The facts reported are discussed, and the proposition adduced therefrom that if a patient has in his blood a certain concentration of agglutinins for a coliform bacillus isolated from his faeces, he is suffering from an infection with, or from the absorption of toxins elaborated by, that coliform bacillus, and a vaccine prepared from this organism will probably have a marked curative effect.
Suggestions are made as to the mechanism of infection with coliform baciffi, and as to the significance of variants in that group of organisms found in the faeces.