Antistreptolysin O titer (ASLO-Titer) was determined on 729 sera of 223 cases from Keio University out-patients and in-patients. Besides these patients, 20 healthy individuals were included as a control in this study.
Along with ASLO titer, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-Reactive Protein were measured.
ASLO titers of 20 healthy individuals averaged 73 Todd Unit (T. U.). From this fact, 166 T.U. was considered to be the upper limit of normal and above 250 T. U. to be elevated.
In 27 out of 28 cases with active rheumatic fever and 10 of 13 with inactive one, elevated ASLO titer was observed. In general, ASLO titer showed its peak at about 4-8 weeks, but only few cases remained to be above 250 T. U. even after 13 weeks from the onset of the illness.
In subacute bacterial endocarditis, 5 out of 10 cases had elevated ASLO titer. Elevated ASLO titer was independent from bacteria found in blood stream, and mode of therapy.
Sixteen cases out of 29 with lung tuberculosis had elevated ASLO titer. Presence of cavity and/or combined therapy with steroid were not enough to explain the titer difference between the elevated group and the others.
In addition, ASLO titer was also measured in acute and chronic nephritis, rheumtic heart disease, collagen diseases, and other miscellaneous diseases.

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The distribution of drug-resistant E. coli was surveyed on 1560 persons, including healthy persons, dysentery-patients and carriers, during the period from November, 1959 to March, 1960.
For the isolation of drug-resistant strains of E, coli were used Mac Conkey's agar plates containing either chloramphenicol or tetracycline in the concentration of 25 mcg/ml.
The resistant strains of E. coli were isolated from 158 out of 1560 persons, that is, in 9.7%
In the group of healthy persons, the carriers of resistant E. coli were 137 out of 1474 cases (9.2%).
The resistant E. coli was isolated from 15 out of 70 cases (21.4%) in the group of dysentery-patients and carriers who excreted sensitive Shigella. On the other hand, in the group of dysentery-patients and carriers who excreted resistant shigella, the resistant strains of E. coli were isolated from 6 out of 16 cases (37.5%).
Of 158 resistant strain of E. coli, 70 strains (44.3%) were multiple-resistant to drugs such as streptomycin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline and sulfonamide, and the remaining 88 strains were found resistant only to tetracycline.

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In the course of the studies of experimental dysentery infection in rabbits, it was. found by the present authors as reported in a previous communication, that the immune rabbits excreted a specific biologically active substance (SBAS) in their urine: and feces. Apart from the bactericidal activity of SBAS, of which more detailed information is to be considered in a future report, the present paper is primarily concerned with a phenomenon, that bacterial suspensions bring about a marked change. in turbidity under action of the SBAS.
Turbidimetric studies of bacterial suspensions were made with the following results:
1) The suspensions of the dead organisms, which had been harvested from the broth culture of Sh. dysenteriae 1, mixed with and stored in concentrated alcohol, brought about a marked change in turbidity by addition of minute amounts of feces extracts from immune rabbits.
2) The decrease in turbidity was most pronounced at 43°C.
3) At 43°C, the turbidity continued to decrease gradually for 15 hours, and the extent of decrease in turbidity was found to be almost proportionate to the amount of feces extracts.
4) On the basis of these observations, a method of microdetermination of the bactericidal substance in feces has been proposed by the present authors.

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A new antibiotic, Humatin was administered to 27 patients of bacillary dysentery for the purpose of investigating it's antibiotic activity, the cross-resistance to othe drugs and the increase of resistance through successive in vitro cultures.
1. The sensitivity of dysentery bacilli against Humatin ranged from 1.56 mg/ml to 6.25/mg/ml. No cross-resistance was observed to the drugs used in this trial; CM, TC, SM, L, KM, C-S, FZ, Pal.
2. The increase of resistance in vitro against Humatin was somewhat slighter than that against FZ and KM. The 3-drugs-resistant strains demonstrated almost the same degree of resistance increase as the sensitive ones.
3. Humatin was as effective in doses of 50 mg/kg/day as in doses of 20 mg/kg/day.
4. By peroral use of Humatin fever and discharge of bacilli subsided within 1-2 days in a majority of the cases, whereas more than 3 days were required in many cases for recovery of the stools in number and character.
5. Humatin produced good results in the 3-drugs (CM, TC, SM)-resistant cases.
6. It was effective also in a case with persistent bacillary discharge.
7. In one case, re-discharge of the bacilli was observed 21 days after the withdrawalof the drug.
8. The tendency, as is reported, that Humatin may cause diarrhea in some cases, might be involved in the retarded normalization of the number of stools.
9. Signs or symptoms which might be regarded as side effects could not be noted in any of the cases.

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Thirty newborns, who were born in the obstetric wards of Komagome Hospital, . were divided into three groups; the first group was non-treated, in the second, Tetracyclin solution was dropped every days into the nose, and in the third, Erythromycin solution was used. Of Staphylococci, which were obtained from nasal and rectal cultures of newborns of these three groups, the biochemical behaviour, the phage-typing and the sensitivity against antibiotics were examined, and the successive survey of nasal and rectal flora was done.
Strains of Staphylococcus, isolated from nasal cultures of mothers and staffs of in the obstetric wards, and of patients in wards of infectious diseases and in the otorhinolaryngological clinic, were comparatively studied with strains of newborns. Results were as follows:
1) Among strains of Staphylococcus, obtained from nasal and rectal cultures of newborns, 33.4% and 38.0% were Staphylococci aureus.
2) Of 249 strains of St. epidermidis and of 122 strains of St. aureus from nasal cultures of newborns, 85.5% and 98.4% were resistant against any antibiotic.
Tetracyclin-resistant strains were most prevalent, and Erythromycin-resistant strains were found only by about 5%.
Among 114 strains of St. epidermidis and 70 strains of St. aureus of rectal cultures, 67.5% and 98.6% were antibiotic-resisant. The most prevalent resistant strains of rectal source were against Tetracycline.
3) Only 21 strains of St. aureus from nasal cultures and one from rectal cultures were able to be phage-typed ; phage-type of those strains belonged to the 1st group.
4) In nasal flora of newborns, Staphylococci appeared at latest within two days after birth.
5) By rectal cultures of newborns, Staphylococci were found within two days after birth, as like as coliform organisms.
6) The dropping into the nose of newborns of Tetracyclin solution seemed to promote and increase the appearance of St. aureus and Tetracyclin-resistant strains. The rectal flora of Tetracyclin group seemed to reveal similar influence.
7) The dropping of Erythromycin solution seemed to delay the appearance of Staphylococci in nasal and rectal flora and to inhibit their growth.
8) It seemed, there would be the closed relation between the nasal and rectal flora of the newborn.

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