THE PASSAGE OF RABBIT VIRULENT TYPE III PNEUMOCOCCI FROM THE RESPIRATORY TRACT OF RABBITS INTO THE LYMPHATICS AND BLOOD.

1. Rabbit virulent Type III pneumococci when instilled into the nose or trachea were recovered from the lymphatics draining the area involved in the lymph collected during a subsequent 4 hour period. Their detection rarely failed, and not infrequently was possible at the end of the 1st hour. 2. The organisms practically invariably appeared first in the lymphatics and subsequently in a few cases were recovered from the blood during the 4 hour test period. 3. The intravenous administration of antiserum 2(1/2) to 3 hours before the instillation of organisms decreased the number of animals whose lymph or blood became positive and the total length of time in which organisms were recovered in lymph from the efferent lymphatics during the test period.