"Spirochetal Pulmonary Gangrene Treated With Arsphenamins"

To the Editor: —Through an error, the report of my discussion (The Journal, November 7, p. 1459) on the article on spirochetal pulmonary gangrene by myself and Dr. Berger was not corrected for publication. Because of the mistakes in that report, I will appreciate it if you publish the following: In these cases, there is usually a pyorrhea, dental caries or some active lesion in the mouth associated with Vincent organisms. In one case at necropsy a molar tooth was found carious, the cavities filled with foul smelling, greenish material containing many spirochetes. These organisms are best stained by the Fontana silver impregnation method. The predominating organisms in early pulmonary gangrene are of the Vincent type. Before ulceration occurs, there is usually a peribronchial and peribronchiolar consolidation. Then the lung has a moth-eaten appearance. It is mottled with gray-green, foul smelling areas containing Vincent organisms. Later there are small and