A type of pneumonia differing significantly in its clinical features from that of pneumococcal and other recognized bacterial origin has recently been described by a number of investigators (e.g., Reimann, 1 Longcope,2 Dingle and Finland3). This has usually been designated as acute pneumonitis, virus pneumonia or primary atypical pneumonia.
The onset is usually more gradual than in pneumococcal pneumonia, with progressively increasing fever, malaise, a non-productive "rasping" cough, headache which may be severe, and sometimes nausea and abdominal discomfort. Rarely is there a chill, pleural pain, herpes, or bloody or rusty sputum. The fastigium is usually reached after four or