Scarlet Fever and Tonsillitis in Relation to Acute Rheumatism

While the infectious nature of rheumatic fever was lated by Hirsch the aetiologic agent is still not positively identified. The various hypotheses have been set forth by Hadfield and Garrod (1947), who say: It seems to us indisputable that more progress has been made towards identifying haemolytic streptococci as the cause of disease than in any other direction."