Some Aspects of Rheumatic Fever

Abstract

Based on a Dissertation read before the Royal Medical Society on Friday, 27th February1959.

Hippocrates described "severe pain in the joints, which fixes itself presently in one joint, presently in another, of short duration, acute, non-fatal, and more inclined to attack the young than the old." Bouilland called attention to the all-important carditis in 1840, and the modern study of rheumatic fever began at the turn of the present century when Newsholme investigated its epidemiology. 

Many rheumatic fever patients have experienced a "sore throat" in the fortnight before their illness, and all show a significantly raised level of antibodies against Beta haemolytic streptococci of Lancefield's Group A. Quite a large proportion are unaware of their infection because of its subclinical nature.