STREPTOMYCIN THERAPY IN HEMOPHILUS INFLUENZAE PULMONARY INFECTIONS

Abstract

The recent introduction of streptomycin as a therapeutic agent¹has added another powerful antibiotic to the armamentarium of the physician. Especially is this agent of value since it is efficacious against many members of the gram-negative group of bacteria, organisms which are in no degree susceptible to the influence of penicillin. Included in this group of susceptible organisms is Hemophilus influenzae. The opportunity has been afforded us recently to study the effectiveness of this agent in pulmonary infections caused by this bacillus. Three cases so treated are reported in this communication. The first of these represents an overwhelming acute pneumonitis, and, because of the extremely dramatic response in a case that otherwise would no doubt have been fatal, the course in this case is reported in detail. In the second case the influenza bacillus infection represented an acute episode in the course of a chronic bronchiectasis. In the third