[Clinical pathology of the Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome (author's transl)].

24 patients (among 35 clinical cases) with meningococcal Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome were submitted to pathologic anatomical examinations (including 18 microscopic investigations). Two aspects were found: 12 cases of mild suprarenal hemorrhage (histological evidence only), but associated with massive degeneration of the adrenocortical cells, leptomeningitis, distinct thymic hypertrophy with microthrombi in various organs. The other 12 cases presented massive bilateral suprarenal hemorrhage with medium status thymo-lymphaticus and distinct capillary thromboses in all organs investigated (consumptive coagulopathy).