Are Blood Gas Machines Safe for Use in the Intensive Care Nursery?

The article by Rapkin (Pediatrics 57:239, February 1976) describing a small epidemic of Pseudomonas cepacia infection in an intensive care nursery adds further support to the germ theory of Pasteur, Koch, Lister, and others, which ascribes to the concept that microorganisms cause disease. Indeed, even the observations of Semmelweis1 deserve second thoughts. Rapkin's excellent piece of detective work and the appropriate action taken are commendable. His summation that "Both professional and nonprofessional hospital personnel failed to oversee the appropriateness of handling of patient care materials" could perhaps be reiterated by many of us.