The infecting organisms, coagulase-positive Staphylococcus aureus, were injected into the knee joints of the rabbits. They were sacrificed in groups of three rabbits at intervals of 15 and 30 minutes, of 4 and 24 hours and of 3, 7, 14 and 28 days after the intra-articular injections.
This study comfirmed that destruction of articular cartilage progressed after the infecting organisms were no longer present and the inflammatory synovitis continued after the absence of infection in experimental pyogenic arthritis.