Abstract
The first attempt to produce an antistreptococcic
serum for the treatment of erysipelas came from
the hands of Charnn and Roger in 1895. cultures of
streptococci isolated from cases of erysipelas were
grown in bouillon for ten days and this was concentrated
by evaporation to one tenth and placed in the
autoclave at 115 degrees cent. Thus they believed
that they had preserved the original bacterial substanc.
e and its toxins. This was used to immunise a
mule, giving 30 ccs. intravenously every second day.
After about two weeks the mule was bled and the serum
used in doses of about ten to fifteen ccs.. They
reported good results, particularly in puerperal
septicaemia without peritoneal localisation.
Later Marmorek, Aronson, Moser, Savechenko and
numerous other workers in this field reported favourable
results with antistreptococcal serum in cases of
erysipelas.
More recently Goresco and Popesco reported very
hopeful results in severe cases using a polyvalent
antistreptococcal serum prepared by the Institute of
Sero Vaccines, Bucarest.(hr J. cantacuzene ) Their
report was on some eighty cases with a doseage of
one cc. or more daily, the results being very satisfactory
in nearly every case. The most marked feature
was very often a great improvement in the general
condition of the patient even if the temperature re-by lysis. The local lesion improved rapidly and
relapses were rare, control cases treated with normal
horse serum gave negative results.
