15 



serum may have the property of stimulating the production of 

 protective ( ? bactericidal) substances in the living body. 



He has been producing this serum since 1911 and in a recent 

 article* he gives the following data as to its efficacy. In the 

 winter of 1916-17, 653 cases of acute lobar pneumonia were 

 admitted to a hospital in Chicago. They were admitted in 

 rotation, and without discrimination, to eight wards. In seven 

 wards (538 cases) no serum treatment was given; the eighth 

 ward (115 cases) received this treatment. In this last ward the 

 death rate was 20 • 8 per cent. ; in the other wards it was 45 • 3 

 per cent. The serum was given intravenously in average doses 

 of 2-5 c.c. Many patients received only one injection per day; 

 others had two per day. The injections were continued until 

 the temperature remained below 100° F. The number of injec- 

 tions per case ranged from 1 to 12, the average being 3. 



Kyes' serum has also been tried by Major A. W. Gray at the 

 Base Hospital, Camp Grant, Ill.f Between 1st October, 1917, 

 and 20th September, 1918, 322 cases of typical lobar pneumonia 

 were treated. The death rate was 7-7 per cent. There were 

 no controls, but it was evident to the clinicians that the serum 

 was of marked value. Further details of the above series of cases 

 are given by McClellan,J who tabulates the results as follows : 



Between 21st September and 4th November, 1918, 234 

 cases of " epidemic pneumococcus — broncho-pneumonia " were 

 treated, with a death rate of 16-7 per cent. ; in 1,684 control cases 

 the death rate was 53-6 per cent. From 5th November, 1918, 

 to 1st May, 1919, serum treatment was given to 118 cases, with 

 a death rate of 4-3 per cent.; "these were atypical cases of 

 " pneumococcus pneumonia, which seemed to indicate a gradual 

 " change from the epidemic type of disease back to the type of 

 " lobar pneumonia, probably due to a falling virulence in the 

 " organism." The serum was always given intravenously. 

 " Shortly before the epidemic the dose was increased from 2 • 5 c.c. 

 " once or twice daily to 5 or 10 c.c. twice daily, and this larger 

 " dosage was maintained during the epidemic. In a few cases as 

 " much as 30 c.c. was given daily. Commonly a total of 60 to 

 " 90 c.c. was given in cases that recovered." 



* Joum. Med. Res., XXXVIII, p. 495. 1918. 



f Am. Joum. of Med. Sciences, CLIX, p. 885. 1920. 



% Joum. Am. Med. Ass., LXXII, p. 1884. 1919. 



