528 INFECTION AXD IMMUNITY. 



found in mild cases, which run a short, uncompli- 

 cated course, but "more frequently in severe and 

 protracted cases, in which there also may develop 

 local complications and clinical signs of general 

 infection, such as joint inflammations" (Hek- 

 toen). Baginsky and Sommerfeld found strepto- 

 cocci in the blood and organs of each of eighty- 

 two fatal cases. Hektoen states, however, that 

 streptococcemia is not necessarily present in fatal 



Gabritschewski and other Eussians have reported 

 satisfactory results following prophylactic vacci- 

 nation against scarlet fever by means of killed 

 streptococci from scarlet fever patients. They 

 advance this experiment as an argument in favor 

 of the streptococcus as the sole cause of scarlet 

 fever. The results, however, have not yet been 

 confirmed by other observers. 



At present there is not sufficient ground for con- 

 sidering streptococci as the specific agent in scarlet 

 fever, although they are undoubtedly the cause of 

 the most frequent and serious complications. The 

 mortality of the disease probably is greatly raised 

 by mixed infections with the streptococcus. 



Streptococcus filtrates or cultures may cause de- 

 generative changes in the spinal cord (Homen 

 and Laitinen) . 



Beneficial Certain strains of streptococci are said to exer- 

 cise a curative effect in experimental anthrax. 

 Von Emmerich and di Mattei found that by intra- 

 venous injection of the cocci rabbits could be saved 

 from an anthrax infection which otherwise would 

 prove fatal in forty-eight hours. This result can 

 not always be obtained, and it may be that only 



