Two Cases of Veldt Soke Treated by 

 Autogenous Vaoc.ixes 



BY 



The DiKErTOK 



In the British Medical .lnuninl for Januai-y 'i'i, 1910, there appeared two interesting 

 papers, the first' dealing with the bacterial vaccine treatment of a series of cases of 

 staphvlococcic infection, the second- with the vaccine-therapy of cases of ulceration of the 

 face and fauces. The experience of the author of the first paper led him to the following 

 conclusions : — 



1. That vaccine is of great service in most staphylococcic infections. 



2. That staphylococcic skin lesions, however chronic, are curable by its means. 



3. That in many cases estimation of the opsonic index is unnecessary. 



4. That the best results are only obtained by the use of autogenous vaccines. 

 Since the paper appeared, an important series of meetings of the Eoyal Society of 



Medicine has taken place whereat all the pros and cons of vaccine-therapy have been 

 fully discussed, and to judge by the published proceedings,'' the views of Dr. Clarke Begg 

 have received confirmation. 



The second paper dealt with cases of mixed infection in some ways closely resembling 

 those about to be described. I have thought it well to put these latter on record as 

 naturally enough, vaccine-therapy has not yet been greatly exploited in tropical countries, 

 partly from the lack of facilities afforded by laboratories, and partly because commercial 

 vaccines do not keep well in hot climates. I have little doubt that a large number of 

 bacterial lesions in the Tropics, and especially skin lesions, will eventually be successfully 

 treated by appropriate vaccines, and certainly, in the cases to be described, this mode of 

 treatment appeared to act like a charm. 



In February, 1910, I was informed by the Senior Medical Officer, Khartoum District, 

 that a considerable number of men in the Egyptian cavalry, at Shendi. were suffering from 

 cutaneous ulcers, and that the epidemic, for the disease was undoubtedly contagious, had 

 spread to the civil population. The Senior Medical Officer visited the cavalry lines and 

 sent me slides of the discharge from the sores from fourteen different cases. Although Mixed 

 a few of these contained streptococci and bacilli of different kinds, two chief bacterial infection by a 

 conditions were easily recognised. One set of cases showed a diplococcal infection, the bacillus and 

 other, a diplococcal infection together with an infection by diphtheroid bacilli. a dipiococcus 



The diplococci were found free and in the polymorjahs, a few being also present in 

 the mononuclear leucocytes. The diphtheroid bacilli were for the most part free. 



At a later period, two cases were sent me for examination and the following histories 

 were kindly supplied by Mulazini Awal Iskander Eff. Sarkis, of the Egyptian Medical Corps. 



CASTS I. — Mulazim Tani A. D., a young officer in the Egyptian cavalry. 



Family history of no special importance. 



' Begg, A. C. (January 22, 1910), " Observations on the vaccine treatment of a series of eases of stapliy- 

 lococcic infections."^/?/' (7 ts/j }fcdicnl Juanuil. 



'-' MaeWatters, J. C. (.January 22, 1910), " Ulceration of the face and fauces treated by bacterial vaccines." 

 — British Malicnl Journal. 



'■' Wright, A. E. and Others (October, 1910), ■' Vacciue-Theraijy : its administration, value and liujitatious." 

 — Proceeiliiiifs uf tlie Hn/in/ Siwirti/ of MnJirinr. Vol. III., No. 9. Supplement. 



