The significance of total leucocye counts and their variations in cases of pneumonia among children, with special reference to those complicated by empyema: Thomson Memorial Medal, 1934

Of late years the Schilling blood picture has been regarded as of far greater clinical importance than has the common total leucocyte count. ROGATZ (1) particularly stresses the use of the Schilling count in prognosticating the changes in the temperature. The Schilling count admittedly has its uses where one or two isolated cases of pneumonia occur, but if one has to deal with about six cases simultaneously in the course of ordinary Hospital routine, the work involved would become too great for the average Hospital Resident or Clinical Assistant. Further, this, would become still more so if its undertaking were attempted by a busy General Practitioner.The object of this series of observations on the behaviour of the total leucocyte counts, was to ascertain whether any clinical use could be made of these counts in the course of a Pneumonia, and whether the results obtained repay the time expended upon them