This paper marks the culmination of several years of investigation carried on in this laboratory on the relation of diet to the intestinal flora. The results given in earlier publications (Hull and Rettger (1914); Rettger and Horton (1914); Rettger, (1915) may be summarized briefly as follows.1. A change in the diet of white rats from the ordinary mixed food to a special diet containing starch, lard, protein-free milk and a pure protein quickly resulted in a marked simplification of the intestinal flora, the Gram-positive organisms increasing, often to the extent of constituting the entire flora. B. coli and other intestinal organisms were practically eliminated, while bacilli of the type of B. acidophilus (Moro) predominated or were present in such numbers as to exclude all other forms.2. B. acidophilus was found to be a common inhabitant of the intestinal tract of white rats under certain conditions of diet. It was increased in numbers by grain feed (particularly oats, wheat and corn), milk, and lactose. Its preponderance over other organisms was brought about within a period of two to four days when lactose was fed. It was often supplanted by B. bifidus which on continued lactose feeding persisted. In milk feeding the acidophilus phase was more permanent, and B. bifidus seldom gained the ascendency. Carbohydrates, other than milk sugar, failed to bring about this transformation. 47 on August 5, 2020 by guest http://jb.asm.org/ Downloaded from 48 on August 5, 2020 by guest

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