Читать книгу Epidemic Respiratory Disease - Thomas M. Rivers - Страница 23

During the first period from September 24 to 29 the ward contained an average of 35.8 patients, being only moderately crowded; 34 cases of pneumonia were admitted, of whom 11 died, a mortality of 32.3 per cent. It is noteworthy that deaths among this group which occurred prior to September 30 were due to pneumococcus infection with one exception, a patient entering the ward on September 26 and dying the following day. Of the other 2 patients in this group who died with hemolytic streptococcus pneumonia, 1 was admitted to the ward on September 25, was shown to be free from S. hemolyticus on September 30, and died on October 12 with a secondarily acquired streptococcus pneumonia and empyema; the other was admitted on September 29 with streptococcus pneumonia and died the following day.

During the second period from September 30 to October 5 the ward contained an average of 55.3 patients, being very overcrowded; 40 new cases of pneumonia were admitted of whom 24 died, a mortality of 60 per cent. Cultures taken at autopsy showed that 6 died of pneumococcus pneumonia, 14 with hemolytic streptococcus infection. As in Ward 2, patients admitted to this ward were in no way selected and were probably, as experience has shown, in large part pneumococcus pneumonias at time of admission. The widespread dissemination of hemolytic streptococcus and its fatal effect following the introduction of the organism on September 29 and 30 is only too evident.