236 DISEASE CONTROL 



negative bacteria {E. coli, P. vulgaris, Ps. aeruginosa) y when present, 

 were not affected, as further shown by Bodenham (67). 



A summary of the results of extensive use of penicillin in the North 

 African campaign of the present war led to the conclusion that in the 

 treatment of recent soft-tissue wounds penicillin brought about the vir- 

 tual elimination of infection and saved much hospitalization time. 

 Treatment of fractures also gave good results, though some penicillin- 

 resistant cocci appeared. Favorable results were also obtained in various 

 other infections. It is suggested that an average of 750,000 units of 

 sodium penicillin be allowed for systemic treatment and 50,000 units 

 of the calcium salt for local treatment (276, 316). 



Penicillin is thus found to form a valuable addition to the growing 

 list of chemotherapeutic agents, to help man combat disease-producing 

 bacteria. It is commonly used not as a pure acid but as either a calcium 

 or a sodium salt, the former for local applications and the latter for 

 intramuscular or intravenous treatments (276, 479). Since penicillin 

 solutions are quite unstable, especially in the form of salts, the dry 

 preparations are stored and are dissolved either in water or in saline 

 just before required for use. Although penicillin has so far proved in- 

 effective when administered orally, certain of its esters (e-butyl) that 



TABLE 43. RESPONSE OF DIFFERENT BACTERIA FOUND IN WOUNDS 

 TO PENICILLIN TREATMENT 



From Lyons (548). 



