CHILDBED FEVER

Evening Post, Issue 12, 14 July 1936, Page 18

CHILDBED FEVER

RESULTS FROM NEW DRUG

There are published in the "Lancet" tv/o papers dealing with the treatment of puerperal and other infections by means of a drug commonly called prontosil, an aniline compound which was introduced last year in Germany, said "The Times" on June 5.

The papers are by Dr. Leonard Colebrook, of the Medical Research Council, Dr. Meave Kenny, of Queen Charlotte's Hospital, and the members of the honorary staff of the hospital, and also by Dr. Buttle, Dr. Gray, and Dr. Stephenson, of the Wellcome Research Laboratories. The papers are of a highly technical character, but the results which they describe are so good as to deserve widespread attention. The following is included among the conclusions of the first of the two papers:—

Thirty-eight puerperal fever cases infected by haemolytic streptococci have been treated by oral plus intravenous or intramuscular doses of prontosil. Subject to confirmation by further experience, the impression has been gained,that in many of the more severe cases the drug has exerted a definitely beneficial effect, manifested by unexpectedly prompt fall of temperature and remission of symptoms; and this impression is supported by a substantial reduction in the casemortality of the whole series. Three patients in whom there was judged to be a generalising peritonitis on admission (one with a positive blood culture) have recovered without laparotomy under very large doses of the drug. FURTHER TRIALS. The clinical results, together with the mouse-protection experiments, support the view that further clinical trial is amply justified, and that there is more hope of controlling these streptococcal infections by the early administration of this or some related chemotherapeutic agent than by any other means at present available. The "Lancet" comments: — Not only does this' drug work, so to speak, at a distance, but it works when administered some days before, or al least some hours after, infection takes place; indeed, it appears to have determined recovery in an animal already the subject of bacteraemia. This, at any rate, is something quite new; it is the first time that any drug has been shown to have a specific and regular effect on an acute bacterial infection when administered by the mouth. All observers are agreed that the effect is limited to infections due to Streptococcus pyogenes, although there are slight indications in Dr. Buttles work that the meningococcus may.also prove susceptible. The conclusions drawn by Drs. Colebrook and Kenny on the basis of their clinical experience are commendably cautious. It is very much to be hoped that the therapeutic trial which they have initiated in this country will be extended and made to embrace types of acute streptococcal infection other than puerperal fever.