Study of Bacterial Endocarditis

In 1950 we reported our experience with 148 cases of bacterial endocarditis treated at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York during the early penicillin era (1944-1950) and set up revised criteria for early diagnosis and effective treatment. The present report represents a comparative analysis of 95 subsequent cases of bacterial endocarditis in the light of these revised criteria, the availability of a greater variety of antibiotics, and improved methods of treatment. Persistent shortcomings in therapeutic results are indicated by reports of a recovery rate approximately between 65% and 80% (Donzelot et al.,265% of 202 cases; Dormer,375% of 82 cases; Afremow,434.7% of 202 cases; Geraci,570% of 169 cases; Morgan and Bland,668% of 228 cases; Cummings et al.,7 58% of 55 cases). Geraci cites an improving cure rate up to 85% for patients with streptococcal and staphylococcal infection. In addition to