Oil aspiration pneumonia in infancy.

It has been recognized for over 20 years that the therapeutic administration of oily substances either nasally or orally may in certain circumstances lead to the development of pneumonia, often fatal in its outcome. In 1940 Bishop collected and reviewed 136 cases, and in 1941 Kaplan stated that he had been able to find references to 411 cases in the literature, but subsequent cases continue to be recorded. It is our intention, therefore, to review the information available and to describe a case which illustrates certain aetiological and pathological aspects of paraffin pneumonia.