SCARLET FEVER

Abstract

The etiology of scarlet fever has been under active investigation for many years. Loeffler,¹in 1884, and later other bacteriologists noted that the hemolytic streptococci were very abundant in the throats of acutely ill scarlet fever patients. Clinicians also noted the fact that in certain cases of wound infection and puerperal fever a scarlet fever-like rash developed. These observations led to the opinion that there was a close relationship between certain strains of hemolytic streptococci and scarlet fever. The majority, however, held that the hemolytic streptococci were merely very important secondary invaders. Repeated attempts by numerous investigators to produce any disease similar to scarlet fever in animals by the inoculation of throat secretion or cultures of hemolytic streptococci obtained from the throats of scarlet fever patients failed. It was therefore necessary to turn to tests on man. Moser²reasoned that, if the streptococcus was the cause of scarlet