Relation of Vitamin “B” to Infection and Immunity with Special Reference to Bacillus Welchii.

Abstract

During the course of an investigation in which dogs were fed a diet deficient with respect to vitamin “B” one animal developed severe convulsions. Death seemed imminent. The only chance to save its life was the immediate parenteral injection of a vitamin “B” concentrate (Cowgill 1 ). Vitamin powder (Harris) was dissolved, neutralized, sterilized by boiling for 3 minutes and the solution injected subcutaneously. Practically all symptoms were alleviated within a few hours.

A few days later an abscess developed at the site of the injection. Palpation revealed gas crepitus. It was then recalled that the material injected had not been sterilized sufficiently to destroy resistant spores. A provisional diagnosis of “gas infection” was therefore made. The abscess was incised and drained and a pure culture of Bacillus aerogenes capsulatus isolated. The animal was given large doses of material rich in vitamin “B” daily and recovered rapidly. Repeated cultures subsequently made from the site of the wound proved to be negative for B. welchii.

The following questions arose: (1) are normal dogs immune to this organism? (2) if normal dogs possess “natural” immunity, is it possible for a lack of a dietary essential to bring about a breakdown of this immunity? (3) was the vitamin “B” therapy responsible for the very rapid development of immunity? An attempt was made to answer these questions by experiment.

Dogs, presumably normal, were inoculated with varying quantities of cultures of this organism. No untoward symptoms were observed. The animals were then fed a diet complete in every known respect except for what has hitherto been called vitamin B. Positive blood cultures were obtained. Vitamin “B” therapy was then instituted and the blood cultures became negative. This procedure was repeated a number of times over a period of 15 months and the same results obtained.