Elective Localization of Streptococci

The general systemic distribution of micro-organisms in certain diseases with a localized focus is well established, but the factors which determine the localization of bacteria after they gain entrance into the circulation are obscure. In this paper I wish to record a summary of the results obtained from the intravenous injection, under a standard technic, of streptococci isolated from appendicitis, ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, cholecystitis, rheumatic fever, erythema nodosum, herpes zoster, epidemic parotitis, myositis and endocarditis, and to discuss the bearing of these results on localization of streptococci. TECHNIC The streptococci were usually grown from sixteen totwenty-four hours at 37 C. in tall columns of ascites (10 per cent.) dextrose (0.2 per cent.) broth (0.6+ to 0.8+) to which sterile tissue (guinea-pig kidney or heart muscle) was often added; the sterility of the ascites fluid and broth containing the tissue was always proved beforehand. After incubation smears were