Penicillin in Treatment of Experimental Clostridium welchii Infection

Abstract

Conclusions

1. Penicillin is far superior to sulfonamides in the treatment of CI. welchii infection in mice. A single injection of 50 Florey units of penicillin administered subcutaneously at the time of intramuscular inoculation with CI. welchii protects 98% of the infected animals. 2. Repeated small doses of penicillin give as good protection as single large doses. 3. Delay in the institution of therapy lowers the survival rate, but not appreciably unless the delay is over 3 hours. 4. Local lesions were completely healed within 3 weeks if penicillin was injected repeatedly into the site of infection. 5. Response to the treatment of this infection in guinea pigs seems to be as good as that in mice.