Anna M. Rule

Streptomycin and Diasone in the Treatment of Experimental Tuberculosis of Guinea Pigs

Summary Both streptomycin and diasone are therapeutically effective in the treatment of experimental tuberculosis of guinea pigs. Both are more effective in suppressing tuberculous infection by the institution of treatment within a few days after inoculation with virulent tubercle bacilli than in the treatment of established lesions developing 2 weeks or longer after infection has been established. Particularly noteworthy therapeutic results were observed following combined streptomycin and diasone therapy, suggesting that these 2 compounds exert a synergistic or additive therapeutic effect in the treatment of experimental tuberculosis.

Acquired Resistance of Treponema pallidum to Penicillin

Summary The minimal curative dose of a commercial penicillin in aqueous solution by intramuscular injection 3 times a day for 10 doses in succession was apparently slightly more than 1000 units per kg (totalling 10,000 units) and probably somewhat less than 5000 units per dose (totalling 50,000 units) in the treatment of acute testicular syphilis of rabbits inoculated with the Nichols-Hough strain of T. pallidum. This strain did not show any evidence of acquired resistance or tolerance to penicillin after 3 consecutive passages through the testicles of rabbits treated with subcurative amounts of the compound.

Sulfanilamide and Sulfapyridine in Treatment of Experimental B. Friedländer (Klebsiella pneumoniae) Infections of Mice

Summary Sulfanilamide by subcutaneous injection in dose of 0.160 g per kilo slightly prolonged the lives of 3 out of 16 mice when given immediately, 6 hours later and thereafter twice daily for 5 days after intraabdominal inoculation with B. friedländer in a dose fatal in 24 to 72 hours. When the compound in the same dose was given by intraabdominal injection in the same manner to 16 mice, 2 survived 12 days when the experiment was terminated, while the lives of 6 were prolonged for 3 to 6 days beyond the untreated controls. Of the total of 32 treated mice, 2 survived and the lives of 9 were prolonged, whereas all of 8 untreated controls succumbed in 1 to 3 days after inoculation. Sulfapyridine was somewhat more effective. Of 16 mice given 0.160 g by intraabdominal injection immediately after inoculation, 6 hours later and thereafter twice daily for 5 days, 4 survived while the lives of 6 were prolonged 1 to 5 days beyond the survival of 4 untreated controls which succumbed in 24 to 72 hours after inoculation. All treated and untreated mice succumbing gave positive heart-blood cultures. All drug controls given both sulfanilamide and sulfapyridine by subcutaneous and intraabdominal injection survived the period of 12 days, when the experiments were terminated.

Failure of Penicillin and Streptomycin in the Prophylaxis and Treatment of Experimental Vaccinia of Rabbits

Summary Penicillin in dose of 1000 units per kg by intravenous injection for a total of 17 doses (17,000 units per kg) was completely ineffective in the prophylaxis and treatment of experimental vaccinia of rabbits. Streptomycin in dose of 10,000 units per kg by intramuscular injection for a total of 17 doses (170,000 units per kg) was likewise completely ineffective in the prophylaxis and treatment of experimental vaccinia of rabbits.

Sulfanilamide in Treatment of Experimental Shigella dysenteriae (Shiga) Infections of Rabbits

Conclusion Sulfanilamide by oral, subcutaneous, and intravenous administration was ineffective in the treatment of rabbits inoculated intravenously with virulent Shigella dysenteriæ (Shiga) in dose of 300 million per kilo, fatal in 24 to 72 hours in untreated controls.

Sulfanilamide and Derivatives in the Treatment of Experimental Tuberculosis of Guinea Pigs

Conclusions (1) Sulfanilamide by intramuscular administration was without demonstrable beneficial effect in the treatment of experimental tuberculosis of guinea pigs when begun 2 hours after inoculation. (2) Six derivatives of sulfanilamide in the form of their sodium salts, by intramuscular injection, were without demonstrable curative effects in the treatment of experimental tuberculosis of guinea pigs when treatment was started 9 days after inoculation.

Streptomycin in Treatment of Acute Syphilitic Orchitis of Rabbits

Summary Streptomycin by intermittent intramuscular injection was slightly but temporarily effective in the treatment of 3 out of 6 rabbits with established acute syphilitic orchitis in total dosage of 24,000 to 240,000 units per kg of weight, but complete cures were not observed in any of the animals receiving total dosages of 24,000, 120,000 and 240,000 units per kg by intramuscular injection, over a period of 8 days.

A Note on the Chemotherapy of Experimental Poliomyelitis of Monkeys.

Probably because only monkeys are known to be susceptible to the virus of poliomyelitis among the lower animals, little thought and attention have been given to chemotherapeutic investigations in this disease on account of the expense involved. Furthermore the results of medicinal treatment of acute anterior poliomyelitis in human beings have yielded no interesting or encouraging “leads” or suggestions for chemotherapeutic investigations and individual case reports have so far failed to receive confirmation. Young, Hill and Scott 1 have recorded alleged benefit in the treatment of 2 cases of poliomyelitis with mercurochrome by intravenous injection, but this compound given to other cases under the personal observation of one of us did not result in any curative activity. Having on hand a number of Macaccus rhesus monkeys which had been used for experiments on vaccination against poliomyelitis 2 but which developed the disease following intracerebral inoculation with the virus as a test for any possible acquired immunity, we have thought it worth while to institute treatment with a variety of chemical compounds as soon as definite signs and symptoms of poliomyelitis developed which terminated the experiments on vaccination. Under these conditions the experimental disease was allowed to produce pronounced paralysis before the drugs were given by intravenous injection but we thought it worth while to use the animals in these therapeutic tests with the hope that some encouraging results for further work in this field may be secured. The compounds selected, the doses per kilogram of weight and the number given each animal are shown in the accompanying table. All compounds were administered by intravenous injection every 3 days for 5 to 8 injections. Each compound was given to 1 or 2 animals. As previously stated all of the monkeys showed unmistakable paralysis developing 6 to 9 days after intracerebral inoculation with virus before treatment began.

Toxicity and Therapeutic Activity of Tyrothricin by Oral Administration

Summary The maximum tolerated dose of tyrothricin for adult white mice, administered by stomach tube 3 times a day for 10 days in succession, was about 0.0008 g per mouse. By this route of administration 3 doses of tyrothricin daily in dose of 0.0004 g per mouse were very slightly effective in the treatment of mice inoculated with virulent Streptococcus hemolyticus (group A) and type III pneumococcus, while definitely more effective in the treatment of mice inoculated with virulent types I and II pneumococci and especially type I. Tyrothricin in daily doses of 0.0002, 0.001 and 0.002 g per kg, administered by stomach tube for 15 days in succession, was completely ineffective in the treatment of acute testicular syphilis of rabbits.

Failure of tyrothricin in the treatment of experimental syphilis of rabbits.

Summary The maximum single tolerated dose of tyrothricin for adult rabbits by intravenous injection was about 0.0006 g per kg. Fifteen intravenous injections of 0.0001 g per kg, at daily intervals (totalling 0.0015 g per kg) were completely ineffective in the treatment of acute testicular syphilis of rabbits.