Advanced actinomycosis of the spine treated with penicillin and streptomycin.

Actinomvcosis seldom involves the vertebral column. Only four out of 670 patients with actinomycosis reviewed by Sanford and Voelker (1925) had rib or vertebral involvement. It is clear that in the past the diagnosis has been difficult and that tile condition has often been mistaken for Potts disease. Among the reports of sixty cases of mycosis of the vertebral column Meyer and Gall (1935) found only nine diagnosed correctly before death. The mortality rate was at least 90 per cent. This case is placed on record because the vertebral column was mainly affected and because of the remarkable response to treatment with penicillin.