OCCURRENCE OF MENINGOCOCCI IN THE NASAL CAVITIES.

That so-called epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis is caused by a special micrococcus, the meningococcus (Diplococcus intracellularis meningitidis) is now generally accepted as an established fact. The manner in which this form of meningitis is disseminated and the portal of entry of the meningococci are, however, as yet not thoroughly understood. Recent investigations, especially in this country, indicate that probably the nasal cavities are important points not only of entrance, but also of escape of the meningococcus. Until less than a year ago the observations on the occurrence of meningococci in the nasal mucus in meningitis cases were rather unsatisfactory and indefinite. During the last epidemic of meningitis in New York, the opportunity to investigate this point was used to very good advantage by Goodwin and von Sholly,¹ who isolated meningococci from the nasal mucus in 50 per cent. of meningitis cases during the first two weeks of the disease. These