Yes, the bacteria (b.linens) ripens by similar processes, in the sense of it being outside to in. So you can add b.linens to the milk, but only the stuff that grows on the rind does the work.
This is why, for those new to rind ripened cheeses, you have to pay close attention to the thickness of the cheese. The ripening will proceed so far, and I suppose it could eventually work its way to the middle of a very thick cheese but by the time it does the outer edge will have over ripened and gone off. Someone described it as putting frozen chicken pieces in a deep fryer. Although the outside might get cooked, the inside will be raw - and when the inside finally gets cooked, the outside is burnt.
My current Port Salut is a prime example of forgetting to consider the form factor. It's too thick, so probably won't ripen quite as nicely as I would like, and it explains why Port Salut is traditionally made with the same amount of milk, but in a mould that is wider and produces a thinner cheese (more disk than barrel).
