TREATMENT OF LOBAR PNEUMONIA WITH RABBIT ANTIPNEUMOCOCCUS SERUM

Abstract

During the past year pneumococcic pneumonia was treated almost exclusively with chemotherapeutic substances. Pneumonia during this period was relatively mild, and bacteremia was infrequent. A decreased mortality rate for pneumonia, which could not be attributed entirely to specific measures, was noted. We feel, therefore, that a study of the results obtained with a specific therapeutic agent during a previous period in which pneumonia was known to be more severe and in which there was a higher incidence of bacteremia should be presented at this time. Rabbit antipneumococcus serum was first used by Horsfall, Goodner and MacLeod 1 in 1936. In 1937, these authors and an associate 2 described 22 cases in which this serum was used. In 1938, the first three authors reported the results obtained with homologous serum in 67 cases of types I, II, III, V, VI, VII, VIII, XIV and XVIII pneumococcus pneumonia in which the mortality