Abstract
The sera of 310 patients have been studied for precipitins against 2 protein fractions of S hemolyticus, the nucleoprotein of S. viridans and the group specific carbohydrate of S. hemolyticus. The S. hemolyticus fractions were freshly prepared. The S. viridans protein first used∗ was 5 years old. Later tests with a sample newly isolated from the same strain gave identical results. A description of the precipitin test and the antigens used has been presented in a previous communication. 1
Sera from the following groups of cases have been studied:
1. A control group of 39 healthy nurses during the fall season.†
2. A control group of 16 healthy medical students and nurses during the spring season.
3. A control disease group .of 17 cases with temperatures of 102° or over. These patients were not affected with hemolytic streptococcus disease. All these sera were obtained during the spring season.
4. A control disease group of 100 cases during the spring season. None of these patients was known to have rheumatic fever, rheumatoid arthritis, sub-acute S. viridans endocarditis, proven hemolytic streptococcus disease, glomerular nephritis or peptic ulcer.
5. Twenty-three cases of proven sub-acute S. viridans endocarditis. 1
6. Thirty-six cases of rheumatoid arthritis.‡
7. Sixteen cases of proven hemolytic streptococcus disease.
8. Fourteen cases of acute glomerular nephritis.
9. Sixteen cases of sub-acute glomerular nephritis.
10. Seven cases of healed glomerular nephritis.
11. Five cases of healed glomerular nephritis during hemolytic streptococcus infection.
12. Twenty-one cases of peptic ulcer with symptoms.
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