Erna Alture-Werber

The Prolonging Action of Penicillin by Para-Aminohippuric Acid.

Conclusions 1. When the plasma para-aminohippuric acid concentration was maintained at or above 10 mg/100 ml a 3 to 6 fold elevation in penicillin plasma concentration was obtained except in two instances. 2. When the para-aminohippuric acid plasma levels were allowed to fall below 10 mg/100 ml there was no effect of that compound on the plasma concentration of penicillin. 3. The para-aminohippuric acid was non-toxic in the dosage given even when administered over a period of 8 days.

A Method for Routine Determination of Streptomycin Levels in Body Fluids.

Summary 1. A simple, easily readable method for the clinical determination of streptomycin in body fluids has been described requiring a minimum amount of test fluid, 2. Klebsiella pneumoniae No. 41 which grows luxuriantly in simple media and is readily inhibited by streptomycin was adopted as test organism. 3. The assay was made more sensitive by utilizing relatively deficient media which made the test organisms more susceptible to the action of streptomycin. 4. It is possible, because Klebsiella pneumoniae No. 41 is insensitive to penicillin, to perform streptomycin level determinations in patients who are receiving streptomycin and penicillin treatment concomitantly. 5. By the use of this method it has been noted that streptomycin is retained in the blood in effective therapeutic amounts for relatively longer periods of time, thereby permitting more convenient spacing of injections. The clinical application of these studies will be made the subject of a subsequent report.

Penicillin as a Prophylactic in Abdominal Surgery.

Summary Penicillin given by the intraperitoneal route in a single dose of one hundred thousand Oxford units is detectable in the blood stream 3 to 7 hours in 5 cases, and one to 2 hours in 2 cases in sufficient amounts to neutralize penicillin sensitive invaders in abdominal surgery.