THE TREATMENT OF CHRONIC RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS WITH STREPTOCOCCUS VACCINE

Abstract

The relation of streptococci and streptococcic infection to chronic rheumatoid arthritis remains in an uncertain and far from established position in spite of the many diligent investigations pursued during the past decade. Not only do students of the disease differ regarding the interpretation of experimental results but the results themselves lack uniformity. If a relationship exists, it might do so in one of three ways: 1. The joint lesions may be the result of the localization of streptococci circulating in the blood stream. 2. The joint lesions may be due to toxins liberated from some focus of streptococcic infection elsewhere in the body. 3. The joint reactions may be allergic in nature and represent hypersensitivity of the joint tissues to streptococci, resulting from low grade infections or from the persistence of foci of infection in the body. If the first relation obtains, then the nature of the joint change and