DIPLOCOCCUS PNEUMONIA 103 



They are killed by heating to 50 C. or 122 F. for 

 ten minutes, by exposure to sunlight at once, and 

 by almost all disinfectants in appropriate strength in 

 five minutes. 



It has been possible to produce a very effective 

 antiserum by injecting into horses suspensions of whole 

 and disintegrated meningitis cocci. The antiserum is 

 introduced into the space between the cord and the 

 meninges by lumbar puncture, first withdrawing 

 some of the spinal fluid to make room for it. By this 

 treatment, especially when instituted early in the 

 disease, a great deduction in the mortality, and in the 

 deformities so frequently following meningitis, has 

 been effected. 



DIPLOCOCCUS (STREPTOCOCCUS) PNEUMONIA. 



Pneumonia or inflammation of the lungs may be 

 caused by a great many organisms, but by far the 

 commonest one is the Diplococcus or Streptococcus pneu- 

 monice or pneumococcus. This omnipresent organism 

 gains entrance to the body almost exclusively by 

 the nose or mouth. It enters the air passages and 

 penetrates to the finer parts of the lungs, there setting 

 up a rather characteristic inflammation. In certain 

 types of pneumonia the disease may involve whole 

 lobes; again, small patches here and there may be 

 involved, the intervening tissue being practically 

 normal. From the lungs the bacteria naturally pene- 

 trate into the blood stream. This emphasizes the fact 

 that while pneumonia expresses itself chiefly in the 

 lungs, it is in reality a general infection. It should, 



