The bacteriology of the pneumonia of the recent epidemic has dealt, principally, with influenza bacilli, pneumococci and hemolytic streptococci, but several other organisms have also probably played a part in producing the complicated lung lesions. In this note, we wish to call attention to the B. mucosus-capsulatus group. The importance of recognizing these organisms is twofold: (1) In some cases they have a pathologic significance; (2) in many other cases they are probably harmless or terminal invaders; but in smears and sections, they may be mistaken for influenza bacilli.
No final answer has apparently yet been given to the problem of correlating the unusual lung lesions of this epidemic with the bacteriologic findings. Without entering into a full discussion of the subject, we may say that our experience, which includes cultures from lung punctures made during life, has led us to adopt the following working hypothesis: Influenza bacilli, so called