The elective treatment of graft-versus-host disease following a bone marrow graft from a father to a son with severe combined immunodeficiency.

The details of the first successful bone marrow graft from father to son are described. The recipient developed an acute graft-versus-host reaction on the seventh day which was successfully treated with anit-lymphocyte globulin and methotrexate. This regime did not destroy the graft and the child is alive and well with normal immunological function some 2 1/2 years later.