Streptococcus Mucosus 



317 



from the standpoint of its theoretic scientific basis and its thera- 

 peutic application. 



Streptococcus Vaccine. — Vaccines made by tlie method given in 

 the chapter on " Bacterio- vaccines " are now used in all streptococcus 

 infections with varying success. As, however, there is no knowl- 

 edge by which one can foretell exactly what course a streptococcus 

 infection will pursue, it is impossible to determine with accuracy 

 what advantage results from the treatment. Judged upon its 

 clinical merits, streptococcus vaccine does good, especially when 

 the vaccine is homologous. When homologous vaccine cannot be 

 prepared, preference might next be given the so-called "polyvalent" 

 vaccines made by combining cultures from many sources. Such, 

 especially when "sensitized" by admixture with antistreptococcus 

 serum, according to the method of Besredka, give promise of benefit 

 upon theoretical grounds. 



Streptococcus Mucosus (Howard and Perkins) 



This organism, described by Howard and Perkins,* was isolated 

 from a case of tubo-ovarian abscess with generalized infection, and 



Fig. III. — Streptococcus mucosus, from peritoneal exudate. X 1200 

 (Howard and Perkins, in "Journal of Medical Research"). 



again later by Schottmiillerf from a case of parametritis, peri- 

 tonitis, meningitis, and phlebitis. 



It occurs as a rounded coccus in pairs and in short chains, though 

 sometimes long chains of a hundred have been observed. The pairs 

 resemble gonococci. They measure 1.25 to 1.75 m in length and 

 0.5 to 0.75 IX in breadth. Each is surrounded by a halo that varies 

 in width from 1.5 to 3.0 yu, which shows best in cultures grown on 



* "Journal of Medical Research," 1901, N. S. i, 163. 

 t "Munch, med. Wochenschrift," 1903, xxi. 



