Abstract
Summary
Streptomycin, administered to white rats by intramuscular injection or by inhalation, following intrabronchial inoculation of mucin-suspended Friedlander's bacilli, is highly effective in preventing a consequent pneumonia. Of 10 rats infected with 100,000 lethal doses and treated by intramuscular injection of 1,000 μg of streptomycin 4 times a day for 3 days, all survived, while 10 control, untreated rats died within 2 days. Similarly, injections of 500 μg 4 times a day for 4 days saved all of 5 rats inoculated with 17,000 lethal doses, while 8 of 10 control rats died within 4 days.
When the drug was given at similar intervals by inhalation of streptomycin aerosol to 30 rats infected intrabronchially with from 30,000 to 100,000 lethal doses, 60 to 70% of the treated animals survived following estimated dosages of from 1,000 to 1,600 μg per treatment. All of the 30 untreated control rats died. To the foregoing data it may be added that, when the dosage was reduced to 5,000,000 organisms, which constituted a dose of 17,000 M.L.D., and inhalational treatment was given at the rate of an estimated 2,200 μg per 15-minute treatment 4 times a day for 4 days, 100% of 10 treated rats survived, while 80% of 10 controls died within 4 days.
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