During the five-year period from January 1964 through De cember 1969, 135 children between one month and 15 years of age with bacterial meningitis were treated. Sixty (44%) had received some type of antibacterial drug before the diagnosis was made. Spinal fluid cultures and smears were positive more often in the "untreated" group, but there were no numerical differences between the groups in blood cultures or in causative organisms identified. Prior therapy did not produce significant differences in CSF properties, or have an adverse effect on the response to treatment, duration of hospitalization, or ultimate outcome.
