STUDIES WITH THE LINCOLN BACTERIOPHAGE

To the Editor:  —Considerable publicity has appeared in the lay press concerning the Lincoln bacteriophage and its use in multiple disease entities. Out of scientific curiosity and at the request of the Columbus Academy of Medicine we decided to study the nature of this agent. One ampul each of "H. S. A. (Lincolnii) Alpha" (lot no. 2022145) and of "H. S. A. (Lincolnii) Beta" (lot no. 2) were given to us by a Columbus physician who had received these materials for clinical trial.Both preparations appeared similar grossly and were clear amber solutions. Both preparations were active in vitro against 18 strains of coagulase-positive hemolytic Staphylococcus aureus recently isolated from the nasopharynx of apparently normal persons. The alpha phage was more active than the beta. There was no measurable activity against coagulase-negative staphylococci. Thus it was established that these ampuls did contain a bacteriophage active against coagulase-positive staphylococci. No effect