This excellent summary of subacute bacterial endocarditis is based in large part on Libman's own long experience with the disease. He writes, for example, that between 1899 and 1930 he had observed at least 1,000 cases. The book is subdivided into sections on definition and classification of endocarditis, classification of bacterial endocarditis, the various aspects of subacute bacterial endocarditis including etiology and pathogenesis, pathology, clinical features, diagnosis, cases of mild subacute bacterial endocarditis, bacteria free stage of the disease, transitional endocarditis, recurrent endocarditis, prognosis, cause of death, prophylaxis and treatment. There is a bibliography of one hundred and ninety-eight references.
There are many pertinent observations concisely made, a few examples of which in the first fifteen pages are:
Bacterial endocarditis is subdivided into acute and subacute bacterial endocarditis. As implied in the terminology, these subdivisions are based on the duration of the disease, the acute form including cases with a