in so far as guinea-pigs , whose antibacterial defences are lowered by ferric or ferrous iron , represent human subjects at risk of infection because of clinical circumstances characterised by excess of available iron -- either exogenous or as a result of haemolysis -- our results with organisms of a kind commonly associated with infection in hospitals suggest that only a small proportion of environmental bacteria can take advantage of any decreased resistance associated with iron excess .
C0029235
organisms
C0004611
bacteria