The Nation - News from Oct. 16, 1986

In a finding that could revolutionize ulcer treatment, researchers said a bacterial infection treatable with a common drug may be associated with ulcers and gastritis. Dr. Barry Marshall of the Royal Perth Hospital in Perth, Australia, said at a meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology that a recently discovered bacterium, Campylobacter pyloridis, appears linked to the development of ulcers and gastritis. He said studies have shown that bismuth subsalicylate, a non-prescription drug that is an ingredient in Pepto-Bismol, kills the bacterium.