Studies on the therapeutic effect of B. acidophilus milk and lactose

Abstract

In a series of psychotic and normal (mentally) subjects relief from chronic constipation and diarrhea was obtained by the ingestion of B. acidophilus milk and lactose. This corroborates the work of Rettger and Cheplin.

The normal subjects as well as the psychotic patients receiving treatment, gained in weight; but while the latter were improved physically, there was no improvement in their psychoses.

The intestinal flora becomes transformed on treatment with B. acidophilus whole milk and lactose, but the relative percentage of grampositive rods rarely exceeds 70 per cent.

Incubating B. acidophilus whole milk at room temperature is satisfactory for only a few days, after which the number of viable organisms decrease rather rapidly and the acidity increases to the point of unpalatability.