MENINGITIS, particularly that caused by Hemophilus influenzae type B, presents an emergency greater than does acute appendicitis because an inadequacy in treatment usually results in permanent injury or death. The fate of the child with influenzal meningitis hinges so completely on the promptness and intensity of treatment that presentation of further data on both chemotherapy and Alexander's anti-influenzal rabbit serum seems justified.
The need for impressing physicians with this fact is presented in the following series of 47 patients admitted to the Milwaukee Children's Hospital from January 1939 to April 1946, which is the span of time since Alexander's serum has been available and sulfonamide compounds have been given in massive dosages. Previous to this time, from 1923 to 1939, there had been admitted to this hospital 66 patients with proved influenzal meningitis who were treated with a great variety of ineffective methods. All but 3 died, a mortality rate