A five-year-old child complaining of lassitude, pallor, fever and polyarthritis, was admitted to the hospital. The fever was intermittent in type, and the child developed petechiae, splenomegaly, progressive anemia, leucocytosis and hematuria. The heart was enlarged and there was a mitral insufficiency. The child developed auditory hallucinations and convulsions. Repeated positive blood cultures for streptococcus gamma type were obtained. The autopsy findings were typical of bacterial endocarditis. No evidence of previous rheumatic infection could be established pathologically. A five-year-old child complaining of lassitude, pallor, fever and polyarthritis, was admitted to the hospital. The fever was intermittent in type, and the child developed petechiae, splenomegaly, progressive anemia, leucocytosis and hematuria. The heart was enlarged and there was a mitral insufficiency. The child developed auditory hallucinations and convulsions. Repeated positive blood cultures for streptococcus gamma type were obtained. The autopsy findings were typical of bacterial endocarditis. No evidence of previous rheumatic infection could be established pathologically.