VIABLE ORGANISMS FROM FECES AND FOODSTUFFS FROM EARLY ANTARCTIC EXPEDITIONS

Abstract

Microbiological studies of continuously frozen human feces and foodstuffs from sites of early Antarctic expeditions revealed viable organisms after 50 years. Aerobic and anaerobic sporeforming and non-sporeforming bacteria, actinomycetes, yeasts, and molds were recovered. No coliforms were encountered, and other enteric bacteria were of low incidence. The survival of microbiota expected to be present only as a minor component indicates that these have retained sufficient viability so as to comprise the major component of the populations.