In 1908 the first case of Salmonella meningitis was reported by Ghon, and since then 150 cases have been described (Metcalfe and Wiswell, 1950), of which 15 were due to S. typhi-murium; only two of these infants were definitely recorded as being under 1 month old at the time of infection. Debre and Mozziconacci (1949) record two cases of Salmonella meningitis one of which was due to S. typhi-murium and had occurred in the neonatal period. None has been described as occurring in the premature baby in the first month of life. We feel, therefore, that the case reported here is of interest.Case Report P., a boy, was delivered by forceps on September 20, 1951, after a gestation period of approximately 37 weeks. The mother had suffered from pre-eclamptic toxaemia. There was no history of contact with infection.The infant weighed 5 lb. 3 oz. (2 *37 kg.) at birth and had a skull circumference (occipito-frontal) of 121 in.(31 * 25 cm.). The baby breathed and cried well immediately after birth. There was a caput succedaneum over the right side of the skull, and there were two supernumerary auricles in front of the left external auditory meatus. The general condition of the baby was good, and no other abnormal physical signs were found. Feeding was started when the baby was 2 days old, and he sucked well at the breast. On the third day, however, he was apathetic, his muscle tone poor, and he sucked weakly; these symptoms increased and tube feeding became necessary on the fifth day. Jaundice was present on the sixth day and became more intense in the next 24 hours. POST-MORTEM FINDINGS. The body was that of a small pale infant weighing 4 lb. 5 oz.(1 *97 kg.), with numerous red spots and blotches on the skin over the chest wall and arms. There were supernumerary auricles in front of the left external auditory meatus. There was no jaundice. The skull plates were congested, especially in the occipital region. The anterior fontanelle was normal. There was extensive purulent exudate throughout the meninges. Pale, greenish-yellow pus was accumulated around the pons, medulla, over the temporal lobes and up over the lateral surfaces of the parietal and frontal lobes on both sides, but maximal on the left side. From each of these accumulations there were extensions which followed the sulci and spread almost up to the longitudinal fissure. The meningeal vessels were grossly congested. No intracranial haemorrhage was seen, no internal hydrocephalus was found, and the middle ears were clean.
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