THE BULGARIAN BUG.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5073, 10 January 1927, Page 4

THE BULGARIAN BUG.

A PATHOLOGIST’S OPINION. INTERESTING PARTICULARS. -In an opinion stated to the ChristChurch Presls, Dr. A. B. Pearson, pathologist at the Christchurch Hospital, said that tht* bacterial growth which is being so largely used in New Zealand is the Kephir grain, not the real baccilus, Menschikoff’s Massol. The action of the, Bulgarian bug is to cause fermentation of milk, and it is supposed to prevent the development of putrefactive bacteria in th bowels. The true Bulgarian bug had a great run in England about 1908, when Dr. Pearson was in London. At that time the hospital authorities milk wit.h it and sent it out to patients. -There was a great demand at the thrern dordlu ? zii b demand for a time, but it went out A" favour after about six months. It was used to prevent or lessen intestinal dyspepsia, and a number of people ’found it beneficial to t,hem. Dr. Pearson first came in contact with the Kephir grain about four or five, months ago. It consisted of a baccilus, two varieties of cocci and yeast. So ‘far he had not been able, to isolate the baccilus and grow it, apart, apparently its close association with yeast and cocci being necessary. The only danger Dr. Pearson could sec in regard to the Kephir grain was that it was freely handled by the public, and it was almost certain that in many case> it did not receive the care; its nature warranted. It should be kept scrupulously clean. It was a very difficult matter with such a mass of baceria to ensures cleanliness, and it was made more, difficult by the fact that it was allowed to grow in milk, which was an ideal medium for bacterial growth. It was extremely probable, that the bacteria would be added to, though he had not comacross anything dangerous: in that connection. (One could readily realise hte danger such a mass would be-

come in the hands, for instance, df a person who was a carrier of diphtheria or tuberculosis. To clean it thoroughly, it should be washed very carefully for an hour under a gentle st,’earn of water. The method ow washing Dr Pearson used was to place the grain in a vessel, and them allow the water to flow in through a funnel which reached to the bottom. Thus the water rising in the vessel would pass through the grain—or “bug”— ‘from underneath, ensuring ane, ven flow of water through it. Care should be taken that it was not broken up, as a small piece imght, be swallowed and form a growth in the stomach. Asked if the grain was really beneficial, Dr Pearson said it apparently had the same effect as the real Bulgarian bug, and he thought it would be beneficial in some cases, as, for instance, the treatment of dyspepsia, but it was certainly not a universal cure-all. In preparing milk with the grain, Dr. Pearson said the. skimmed milk should be pasteurised previously. He also mentioned that the instructions sent with some samples which had reached Christchurch stated that the. grain should be cleaned with salicylic acid, but did not state what strength the acid should be. Salicylic acid

was a mild poison, and he did not think a stronger solution than 10 per cent, should be used. The. real Bulgarian bacillus was now' being made up in liquid form in England, and in a sample which he had received he had 'found that it contained live bacillus.