SKIN REACTIONS OF PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATIC FEVER TO TOXIC FILTRATES OF STREPTOCOCCUS

Abstract

Within recent years, the development of knowledge concerning the capacity for many strains of hemolytic streptococci to produce in broth cultures a substance which has certain resemblances to a soluble bacterial toxin has opened the field for study of a similar substance in other forms of streptococci. Following the discovery by Small¹and Birkhaug²of indifferent streptococci in blood cultures of some patients with rheumatic fever, the latter observer investigated the capacity of these peculiar cocci to produce this kind of toxic filtrate, and he found that a much higher proportion of indifferent strains produced such toxic filtrates than did green streptococci. He also found that persons who had suffered from rheumatic fever were more susceptible to intracutaneous injections with these toxic filtrates than were other groups of persons, and consequently suggested that these micro-organisms might be the specific etiologic agents in this disease. Later, Kaiser³reported