Early Decades of Bacterial Endocarditis

Abstract

There is no mention of bacteria in relation to disease in any volume of Lancet prior to 1865, (Fostner, 1961). Brill and Libman in 1899, (cited by Waisburn, 1951) were among the first to call attent ion to blood stream invasion by Pseudomonas. In 1904 Eastman and Keene (cited by Waisburn, 1951) reported a case of Bacillus Pyocyancus. Sepsis due to Escheriachia coli was reported b Jacob in 1909 and Fettv and Keefer in 1924 (cited by Waisburn, 1951). Infective endocarditis was listed as the admitting diagnosis in 0. 16 to 5.4 patient per thousand hospital admission in United States. Gregoratos and Karliner, (1973).