Five hundred families with rheumatic members were investigated ; this represented more than eight hundred rheumatic persons in the immediate family circles. This was necessarily largely a study of rheumatism as a familial disease, and it was felt that the value of such observations lay not only in the considerable number of families represented, but in the comparison by one observer of rheumatism in two widely differing communities.By the methods used it was hoped to show the relative importance of heredity and constitution contrasted with infectivity as factors in the occurrence of rheumatism.In the two clinics the methods of obtaining data were similar. The mother of every rheumatic child examined was questioned as to the occurrence of rheumatism in other members of the family, and asked to bring in the other children and, when possible, the father for exami¬ nation. By means of evening clinics and visits to the homes a large percentage of the "contacts" of rheumatic children were questioned and examined. The social conditions of the subjects at the two clinics were regarded as comparable.The manifestations regarded as rheumatism included acute rheu¬ matic fever, chorea, shifting joint pains without fever, and mitral stenosis. Hospital or clinic records, military hospital records and diag¬ noses made by outside physicians were accepted in most cases. The statements of parents were also accepted as evidence of rheumatism in relatives who were not available for examination (usually deceased or out of the country), if in such cases a physician had made a diagnosis of "inflammatory rheumatism with a leaking valve" or "St. Vitus' dance." Cases were omitted in which a systolic apical murmur, apparently organic, was unaccompanied by a history of rheumatism, although it was From the

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract