Endocarditis is defined as the inflammation of the endocardium, the inner layer of the heart, mainly affecting heart valve leaflets, The term endocarditis was introduced for the first time in the scientific community by Sir William Osler who studied a series of 209 cardiac infections of different origins and delivered a Lecture at the Royal College of Physicians in London on "Malignant Endocarditis" in March 1885.
