Peritonitis as a complication of scarlet fever is rare, in fact it is not mentioned in most standard textbooks. We saw one case last year in the New Haven Hospital.
REPORT OF CASE
A white girl, 5 years of age, was admitted Sept. 24, 1919, complaining of abdominal pain and vomiting.
Family History.
—Unimportant.
Past History.
—Negative, except that the child had developed scarlet fever two weeks previously and at the time of the onset of the present illness was convalescent, having been afebrile ten days.
Present Illness.
—Developed twenty-four hours before admission. The onset was very acute with pain in the abdomen and vomiting, and these symptoms persisted.
Physical Examination.
—The temperature was 102 F.; pulse, 160; respirations, 28. The child was prostrated, very pale and irritable. She was lying on her back with her knees drawn up. The tongue was heavily coated, the tonsils were enlarged but not