Studies of Gastrointestinal Flora in various Surgical Diseases

Part II: Alternation of the Distribution of Gastrointestinal Flora by Administration of Antibiotics

Abstract

This subject is being discussed recently as an interesting topic from the view point of ‘The alternation of intestinal flora’.
The results are as follow:
1) Tracings were made of the alternation of flora in various parts of the gastrointestinal tracts in 49 different surgical cases in which laparotomies were performed. Specimens were collected by the method described in Part I.
2) Means of the administration and dosage of the antibiotics necessary to cause the alternations were discussed. And thus the antibiotics advisable in each case are listed.
3) In chronic gastritis and gastroduodenal ulcer, either streptomycin, chloramphenicol or tetracycline should be used together with other antibiotics effective for grampositive cocci in order to prevent postoperative infections. In gastric cancer and cholecystopathia, however, it is quite satisfactory to use any one of them alone.
4) The alternation of intestinal flora was recognized in cases treated with tetracycline
5) Susceptibility to antibiotics of isolated strains was tested in hehalf of the prevention and treatments of postoperative infections which occurred in cases with preoperative administration of antibiotics.