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The results described in this article were obtained by the injection of concentrated and partially purified preparations derived from broth cultures of hemolytic streptococci into the pleural cavity of selected patients who were suffering from different types of diseases that gave rise to pleural exudations. The possibility has been explored of utilizing two of the defined properties elaborated by hemolytic streptococci that have the unique capacity of causing rapid lysis of the solid elements (fibrin and nucleoprotein) that are significant parts of exudates. In a companion article, Christensen (1) has described additional steps in the purification of the materials employed and has given quantitative methods of measurement of various increments concerned in the fibrinolytic system, including trypsin inhibitor and specific antibodies, which have been employed in this study.In the study of patients it was first necessary to: (a) develop the investigation within nontoxic but effective ranges of doses of the material employed, and (b) determine whether or not the enzymatic activities of the streptococcal products were effectively operative when introduced directly into the site of the disease in the patients. This article is essentially limited to findings that are pertinent to the two aspects of the study mentioned above.

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