ACUTE AND CHRONIC BACILLARY DYSENTERY AND CHRONIC ULCERATIVE COLITIS

Abstract

During the past two decades there has occurred an increasing interest in the subject of the infectious diarrheas, particularly bacillary dysentery and chronic ulcerative colitis. It is our purpose to present the newer and poorly understood features of acute bacillary dysentery and to establish a relationship between it and chronic ulcerative colitis. RISING INCIDENCE OF ACUTE BACILLARY DYSENTERY In 1933, we directed attention to the inadequacy of available data on the prevalence of acute bacillary dysentery in the United States.¹ In 15 states it was not even a reportable disease. This condition was subsequently corrected through the cooperation of public health officials. We also pointed out new and atypical clinical forms of the disease and described a characteristic three stage progression of intestinal pathological change readily demonstrable at sigmoidoscopy. Due largely to the work of Boyd,² a more accurate classification of dysentery strains by serologic methods became available.