Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
Porcelain-white colonies of Staphylococcus albus in cultures from patients usually are dismissed as nonpathogenic commensals or as contaminants. The recent occurrence of S. albus septicemia in three patients after valvulotomy for mitral stenosis led us to reexamine this subject. Reviews of subacute bacterial endocarditis both in the past and recently show that approximately 1% of cases are caused by S. albus. A survey 36 of cases of staphylococcal bacteremia at this hospital in the years 1936 to 1955 showed that 5 of the 338 cases were caused by this organism. The criteria used for the diagnosis of S. albus septicemia in this study are that the organism should be isolated on two or more occasions from the blood of a sick person with evidence of generalized disease and that no other pathogens should be isolated from the blood. S. albus has for the purpose of this study been accepted as an
Ian M. Smith (Mon,) studied this question.