1. Homologous-serum hepatitis is a form of human hepatitis produced by the parenteral inoculation of human blood or its products containing the appropriate virus.
2. It has been estimated that as little as 1 per cent. of one cubic centimeter of contaminated blood is sufficient to introduce the disease into the recipient. Simple acupuncture has been known to transmit the disease through a contaminated needle.
3. It is reasonable to assume that the usual amount of bone used in any bone-grafting procedure will contain more than the minimum of blood required for transmission.
4. It has been shown that the properties of the offending virus allow it to survive the usual storage methods of refrigeration or immersion in merthiolate for a time well beyond that during which bank bone is routinely stored.
5. The same precautions as in selecting blood donors should be exercised in selecting bone donors.
6. Surgeons who utilize stored bone should be conversant with any newly discovered method whereby the presence of the hepatitis virus can be determined in a prospective donor of either blood or bone in any easy and practical way.