The Specific Polysaccharide Content of Pneumonic Sputa

1. The average specific polysaccharide content of rusty or bloody sputa in Type III was 91 times greater than the average for Types I, II, VII, and VIII pneumonia. 2. Those Type III sputums which were classified as reticulated contained an average S concentration of 1,360 mg. per cent or 170 times more than the amount found in other types. 3. Those Type III sputa which were classified as non-reticulated contained an average S concentration of 45 mg. per cent or 5.5 times more than the amount found in other types. 4. The amount of specific polysaccharide in the sputa of patients with Type III pneumonia furnishes an index to the severity of the disease and an aid in prognosis.