A Technique for Measuring the Excretion of Bacilli of the Enteric Group in the Faeces of Infected Mice

Abstract

In recent studies on experimental epidemiology, and especially in a series of reports by Webster (1922, 1923a, b, c, d, e, f and g),attempts have been made to standardise certain of the factors concerned in the spread of bacterial infection among mice. One such factor is dosage, to which great importance has been attached by Amo⋅s (1922aandb) and also, though to a somewhat less extent, by Webster, whose later work leads him to emphasise the importance of host-susceptibility in determining the form of the epidemic wave. Webster would appear to regard variations in dosage as decisive, in the sense that an effective dose must be applied; but once the critical limit of dosage is exceeded he would give first place to host-susceptibility in determining the subsequent course of events.