Therapeutic Serum for Pneumococcus Type v (Cooper) Pneumonia 1

The characteristics of the pneumonias caused by pneumococcus Type V (Cooper) will be de- scribed elsewhere. This type was originally des- ignated Type IIA by Avery. It is frequently mistaken for Type II, but by means of the Neu- feld technic it is readily distinguished from that type. In general, pneumococcus Type V causes a less severe pneumonia than pneumococcus Type II. In the last seven years 249 cases of pneu- monia due to Type V were observed at Harlem Hospital among adults. There were 34 deaths among 163 cases in which serum was not used, and the mortality rate was 20.8 per cent. If we add to these the 6 cases who came in with an overwhelming blood invasion and who died be- fore they received a dose of serum adequate to affect the outcome, the mortality would be even higher. The 163 patients, who were not treated specifically and the other 6 cases who entered the hospital with overwhelming bacteremia constitute 169 cases; among them there were 40 deaths, a mortality of 24.4 per cent.