686 ABSTRACTS 



Focal Sepsis. J. Daland. (New York Med. Jour., 1916, 103, 1159- 



1160.) 



Septic foci in the mouth, tonsils, sinuses, or prostate are frequently 

 the cause of various systemic infections. The organism isolated from 

 such foci is most frequently a streptococcus, usually Streptococcus hemo- 

 lyiicus. The severity of the systemic infection resulting from chronic 

 focal sepsis varies with the virulence and number of the micro-organisms 

 occurring in the focus, as well as with the resistance of the tissues to 

 the spread of the infection. 



The prompt diagnosis and removal of a septic focus is of the greatest 

 importance. — M. W. C. 



Meningitis. R. C. Rosenberger and D. J. Bentley. (New York 



Med. Jour., 1916, 103, 1166.) 



A report of seven cases, five of which were of the epidemic variety, 

 one of pneumococcal, and one of tuberculous origin. The meningococcus 

 was found in the spinal fluid of the five epidemic cases, and in one of 

 the five a streptococcus was associated with the meningococcus. 

 Cultures from a nasal discharge in two of the cases showed beside the 

 usual bacterial flora, a gram negative diplococcus, which could not be 

 differentiated from the meningococcus. 



Antimeningococcus serum was administered to the five cases of the 

 epidemic type. Three recovered, two did not. 



Tubercle bacilli were demonstrable in the spinal fluid of the case 

 with tuberculous meningitis two days before death. Pneumococci were 

 present in the spinal fluid, and at autopsy, in the heart of the patient 

 with pneumococcal meningitis. — M. W. C. 



Tetanus: A Surgical Complication in the Present War. E. K. Tullidge. 



(New York Med. Jour., 1916, 103, 1022-1024.) 



The cases of tetanus treated during the present war, usually occurred 

 as secondary infections, where the tetanus bacillus was found in wounded 

 tissues in association with other organisms — most frequently with 

 Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus aerogenes-capsulatus. 



The greatest mortality was in those cases of short incubation period, 

 five days or less. 



The most successful treatment was the administration of antitetanic 

 serums in large doses, varying from 10,000 to 160,000 units. 



Cases of long incubation period responded to smaller doses, Ijut in 

 cases displaying a short incubation period, large doses alone produce 

 good results. 



Chloral hydrate in doses of 5 to 10 grains was of great value in con- 

 trolling convulsions. Cases where the wounds were treated locally 

 with iodine did not develop the disease in its severest form. — M. W. C. 



The Etiology of Common Colds. G. B. Foster. (Jour. A. M. A., 1916, 



66, 1180-1183.) 



The conclusion that common colds are due to the action of a filterable 

 virus is supported by the following observations: 



