Investigations on the Pneumonia Diagnosis in early Childhood with special Reference to Serotherapy

Abstract

SummaryIn order to be able to evaluate tbe influence of serum on pneumonia in very young‐ children it is necessary to know from what form of pneumonia the child under consideration suffers, as the different forms of bronchopneumonia have different prognoses.On comparison of the X‐ray with the clinical picture (Fig. I) the bronchopneumonias can be divided into 2 main groups: (I) Primitive pneumonia: (a) hilufugal, b) miliary, c) primary abscess formation). This form is characterized by a great tendency of dissemination in the lung‐ field issuing from the hilus, following the configuration of vessels and bronchi fan‐like outward towards the periphery. (II) The transitionary form: (a) the focal, b) the marginal, c) the partly lobar, and d) the lobar form). It is characterized by a tendency to focal limitation of the process located to different places in the lung. The tendency to form a focus is considered an expression of an allergic defensive process.Fig. I shows that the primitive forms are most frequently met with in children below 2 years of age, that the focal transitionary form is most frequent in children of from 2—4 years, and that the lobar and cronpous forms are most frequent in children above 4 years.