The disease now known as the Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome was recognized as an entity by Little1 in 1901. He published a report of four cases of his own and, in reviewing the literature, found eight other cases which he stated, had been "hitherto unclassified." In his series he may have included at least one that was a purpura of a different etiology. In 1911 Waterhouse2 in England reported a case and reviewed fifteen others. He described the syndrome and gave an accurate account of the symptomatology and pathology. Friderichsen3 in 1918, in Germany, published a report of two cases of his own and gave a comprehensive review of the twelve cases reported by Little and sixteen other cases collected from the literature at large. In 1934 Bamatter4 published a report of thirty-eight cases, two of which were his own. In a rather thorough search of the literature