This paper reviewed the ease histories of 1009 cases of septicemia admitted into this hospital from 1961 to 1991. 78 cases complicated with central nervous system lesions were analyzed retrospectively. The commonly encountered pathogens were Staph. aureus and streptococcus. The appearance of central nervous system symptomatology was sudden in the pyemic-embolic brain lesion

rupture of intra-cranial mycotic aneurysm and subarachnoid hemorrhage; while the symptoms of toxic encephalopathy

meningitis and brain abscess were easily concealed by the clinical picture of septicemia. Mixed brain lesions had the most severe symptoms

and the mortality was also the highest. Total mortality was 35.8%. The therapeutic result depended not only upon the selection of antimicrobial agents

but also upon promptness of definite diagnosis

the type of central nervous system lesion and the underlying diseases