Injections of Streptococci in Rabbits. 113 



Abstracts of the Communications, Pacific 

 Coast Branch. 



Twentieth Meeting. 



San Francisco, California, April 8, igi8. 

 177 (1355) 



Anatomical changes produced by repeated intravenous injections 

 of streptococci in rabbits. 



By W. Ophuls and Elmer W. Smith. 



[From the Leland Stanfoid University.] 



Fifty rabbits received repeated intravenous injections of 

 streptococci with the object in view of ascertaining what subacute 

 and chronic lesions might be produced in this way, the idea being 

 to simulate as much as possible chronic streptococcic septicaemia. 



The streptococci were obtained from about two dozen different 

 sources in the course of routine bacteriological examinations at 

 autopsies, and surgical material. The doses injected were mod- 

 erate. The injections were repeated as frequently as the animals 

 seemed to be able to tolerate them. The animals lived from a few 

 days to 261 days. The results were as follows: 



Fourteen animals developed subacute septic endocarditis. 

 The lesions were most commonly found on the left side of the 

 heart, but the tricuspid valve was involved three times and there 

 was severe infection of the pulmonary valve in one. All of the 

 streptococci which produced endocarditis were of the non-hemo- 

 lytic type. There was only one case in which arthritis and endo- 

 carditis occurred in the same animal. 



Lesions of the myo-cardium were observed fourteen times. 

 In four cases there were abscesses, in two purulent myocarditis, 

 in two necroses, and in six chronic myocarditis. 



There were thirty-one joints affected in ten rabbits. These 

 joint lesions were often very severe and extensive, causing con- 

 siderable destruction in the cartilage and synovial membrane and 

 in a considerable number of cases involved the neighboring tendon 

 sheaths to such an extent that some of the tendons were entirely 

 necrotic. These joint lesions were produced by both hemolytic 

 and non-hemolytic streptococci. 



