Psittacosis, a highly communicable disease, has been transmitted to man by parrots, parakeets, love birds and rarer birds of the parrot family. This communication is of interest because it presents an isolated case of psittacosis in which the only exposure to a bird was to the common pigeon; this possible source of infection warrants closer investigation. REPORT OF CASE L. M., a white man aged 35, born in the United States, a policeman, collapsed suddenly while on duty on Oct. 8, 1941. I saw him a few hours later, at which time he complained of fatigue, pain in the left lower portion of the chest extending from the axilla to the precordium, slight cough and blood tinged sputum. He also stated that he had had chills and fever and a "grippy" feeling for two or three days.The past history showed no previous illness or operation. He was given sulfathiazole, and for the next six days the temperature varied from 100 to 103 F. The pulse rate was 70 to 80 and the heart sounds were distant and of poor quality.On October 15 the pain in the chest became severe and the temperature rose to 104.5 F. The patient was flushed and the membranes were cyanotic ; he was admitted to the Bay Ridge Hospital.A roentgenogram made on admission revealed that the lung roots were clouded by central pneumonitis, and there was an exudative spread of this process into the lower lobe of the right lung. The heart appeared grossly enlarged to the left.The impression was that of influenzal pneumonia and mitral valvular disease. The heart sounds were weak at the apex, and the P wave in lead 2 was accentuated.Examination of the blood on October 16 showed hemoglobin 96 per cent, erythrocytes 4.850,000, leukocytes 16,400, polymorphonuclear leukocytes 76 per cent, small lymphocytes 20 per cent, large mononuclear cells 3 per cent and eosinophils 1 per cent. On October 18 the blood showed hemoglobin 97 per cent, erythrocytes 4,950,000, leukocytes 17,650, polymorphonuclear leukocytes 70 per cent, small lymphocytes 22 per cent, large mononuclear cells 5 per cent and basophils 1 per cent. On October 20 the blood showed hemoglobin 84 per cent, erythrocytes 4,350,000, leukocytes 26,900, polymorphonuclear leukocytes 91 per cent, small lymphocytes 8 per cent and large mononuclear cells 1 per cent. The blood count on October 24 was hemoglobin 80 per cent, erythrocytes 4,480,000, leukocytes 9,800, polymorphonuclear leukocytes 78 per cent, small lymphocytes 11 per cent and large mononuclear cells 8 per cent. On October 27 the leukocytes numbered 12,500, polymorphonuclear leukocytes 6 per cent, small lymphocytes 24 per cent, large mononuclear cells 6 per cent and eosinophils 3 per cent.Blood cultures showed no growth. Analysis of the urine revealed occasional casts and white blood cells but no albumin or sugar. The diazo test gave negative results. Pneumococci (of types I to XXXIII) were not found in the sputum. Mouse injection did not yield pneumococci or tubercle bacilli. The Wassermann reaction was negative. Agglutination tests for typhoid, paratyphoid and A and B...
