John Bunyan once referred to consumption as "Captain of the Men of Death," and indeed, for many years, and in many parts of the world, tuberculosis led all other infectious diseases as a cause of death. During the first quarter of this century, however, according to Osler, pneumonia took over this title, having become the most widespread and fatal of all acute conditions.At present tuberculosis is being reasonably well controlled by specific chemotherapy and other supportive measures. Pneumonia, or at least pneumococcal pneumonia, the most common form that was responsible for the high mortality in the past, also is . . .