Summary
Eighteen pneumococcal types are set up. An account is given of their relations to the types known hitherto.
The establishment of these new types entails an extension of Kauffmann, Mørch & Schmith's schema of the capsular antigens of the pneumococci (table 17).
An account is given of the sera required for differentiation within the pneumococcal groups (table 18). The mode of their preparation and the determination and control of their capsular titers are mentioned.
The significance of new pneumococcal types in respect to therapy, diagnosis and epidemiology is pointed out.
Footnotes
Knowledge of the American incidence of the new pneumococci reported above is necessary before questions as to the practical application of the Cooper classification as a basis for serum-therapy are raised. Under the guidance of the Standard Methods Committee on Biologic Products of the American Public Health Association Laboratory Section an effort is being made to formulate a basic classification system for pneumococci that will serve for diagnosis, serum-therapy and for the addition of new strains.
