CLINICAL AND BACTERIOLOGIC STUDY OF ONE THOUSAND CASES OF LOBAR PNEUMONIA

Abstract

In the fall of 1920, an opportunity arose for conducting an extensive study of lobar pneumonia in the wards of Bellevue Hospital. Through the kind cooperation of the directors of the other medical services, all cases of lobar pneumonia admitted to the twelve medical wards were carefully studied from the bacteriologic standpoint with the idea of determining, if possible, the relationship between the exciting agent and the clinical course of the disease. The main object of the investigation, however, was to test the therapeutic value of a serum-free solution of pneumococcus antibody.¹This product was first prepared by F. M. Huntoon,²who has described it at some length in a series of recently published articles. The antibody solution is thus prepared by Huntoon: Horses are injected at regular intervals with emulsions of Types I, II and III pneumococci. The serum after a number of injections develops protective antibodies.