Robert G. Petersdorf

Laboratory and Clinical Evaluation of a New Antibiotic—Cephalothin

Excerpt Cephalothin, 7 (thiophene-2-acetamido)-cephalosporanic acid, is a semisynthetic derivative of cephalosporin C. Although the structures of the cephalothin nucleus (7-amino-cephalosporanic ac...

Errors and Hazards in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Bacterial Pneumonias

Excerpt In recent years bacterial infections of the lung have been considered prime examples of diseases conquered by chemotherapy. While there is no doubt that antibiotics have exerted a dramatic ...

Synergistic action of pneumococci and leukocytes in lowering cerebrospinal fluid glucose.

Summary Cerebrospinal fluid containing leukocytes was inoculated with a known quantity of pneumococci and incubated at 37°C. Under these conditions the fall in glucose was greater than when bacteria were incubated with cell-free CSF or when leukocytes were incubated in absence of bacteria. The data indicate that cells and bacteria act synergistically in producing the decrease in CSF sugar in bacterial meningitis.

Iatrogenic Factors in Infectious Disease

Excerpt The term iatrogenic is used commonly to designate diseases caused by the ministrations of a physician. A review of this subject produces an overwhelming number of references which are rea...

Further observations on mechanism of hypoglycorrhachia in experimental meningitis.

Summary When dogs with aseptic meningitis were infected with pneumococci intrathecally, a profound drop in CSF glucose occurred which was not observed in control animals given pneumococci without antecedent production of aseptic meningitis, or in animals with aseptic meningitis in absence of superimposed bacterial infection. Hypoglycorrhachia also occurred when heat-killed pneumococci, India ink particles and bacterial endotoxin were administered to animals with aseptic meningitis. These data suggest that the fall in CSF glucose is dependent upon presence of leukocytes engaged in active phagocytosis.

Absorption of endogenous pyrogens by bentonite.

Summary Endogenous pyrogen (E.P.) in serum from animals given endotoxin or New-castle disease virus and in leukocytic exudates was inactivated by absorption with bentonite. Concentration of lysozyme in serum and exudates paralleled that of E.P. The pyrogenicity of typhoid vaccine and NDV was not affected by absorption with bentonite.