The occurrence of the Streptococcus hemolyticus in the throats of children on hospital wards

Summary 1.There is considerable variation in the incidence of streptococcus hemolyticus carriers on the ward of a hospital from week to week during the fall and winter season. 2.There appears to be a monthly peak in the incidence of carriers. In these observations two peaks of greater magnitude than the others occurred in November and March. This may be an indication of an epidemic respiratory infection in the whole community at that time. 3.Members of the nursing staff tend to become carriers at the "peak" periods. 4.The incidence of carriers among 178 children was 43.8 per cent and was practically as common in a room of noninfectious eye cases as in rooms with many operative mastoiditis cases. 5.The carrier rate among patients with tonsils was higher than among those without tonsils. 6.There is no characteristic appearance of the carrier's throat that makes diagnosis possible without culture.