524 J. H. RICHARDS 



II. BACTERIOLOGIC STUDIES IN CHOREA 



In January 10, 1913, I reported two cases of chorea in which 

 Streptococcus viridans was found in the blood. Since that time 

 I have studied 16 cases in addition. The technique of cultures 

 and complement fixation was the same as was used in the bac- 

 teriologic studies in chronic arthritis just reported. In cases 2 

 and 5 the Wassermann reaction was positive In case 2 there 

 were no other signs of lues, and on account of the absence of 

 both parents, hereditary lues could not be established. Case 5 

 had an interstitial keratitis, and the mother gave a positive his- 

 tory of lues contracted from the father. Case 6 gave a positive 

 gonococcus fixation test, and was found to have a history of eight 

 months leucorrhoea in which gonococci were found. In this case 

 we could find no focus of Streptococcus viridans infection, and the 

 complement fixation was negative with Streptococcus viridans 

 antigen. Altogether in 4 cases no focus of Streptococcus viridans 

 infection was found. The complement fixation with Strepto- 

 coccus viridans antigen was positive in 13 cases, and negative in 

 3. The blood cultures showed Streptococcus viridans positive in 

 5, and negative in 11 cases. The feces cultures showed Strepto- 

 coccus viridans in 3 cases, but Gram stain streptococci were found 

 in 9 cases. Other foci of Streptococcus viridans infection were 

 found in 



Cases 



Tonsils 9 



Teeth 8 



Nose 5 



All cultures were isolated and identified in the manner just 

 described in the bacteriologic studies of chronic arthritis. 



