On Sept. 27, 1935, a Mexican girl of 6 years was sent to the laryngeal service of the Los Angeles County Hospital by a private physician, who had made the diagnosis of laryngeal diphtheria and had given 10,000 units of diphtheria antitoxin. On admission the patient gave the history of having acquired a cold five days previously, with a sore throat developing on the second day and dyspnea on the third day. She had had a high fever since the onset of the condition.
On examination the child seemed well nourished. She was breathing with difficulty and appeared ill but able to talk hoarsely. Her temperature was 103.6 F. Breathing was harsh, and there was a harsh, brassy cough. Examination of the nose demonstrated apparent atrophic rhinitis, but no ulceration was present. The entire posterior pharyngeal wall, extending from the nasopharynx to the larynx, was necrotic and swollen.