Clinical evaluation of treatment of gonorrhea in the female

Abstract

There exists a decreased sensitivity of the gonococcus to penicillin, with females requiring more treatment than males. This study evaluates on a clinical basis the following dosage schedules for the treatment of gonorrhea in females: (1) Aqueous procaine penicillin G, 2,400,000 units and procaine penicillin G in oil, 2,400,000 units; (2) spectinomycin, 4 Gm.; (3) aqueous procaine penicillin G, 4,800,000 units; (4) aqueous procaine penicillin G, 2,400,000 units. A 94.2 per cent cure rate was obtained using aqueous procaine penicillin G, 2,400,000 units, and procaine penicillin G in oil, 2,400,000 units. An alternate drug schedule for penicillin failures and/or patients allergic to penicillin was spectinomycin, 4 Gm. with a cure rate of 81 per cent. With the escalation of the penicillin dosage, one must be aware of the possibility of procaine reactions in addition to anaphylactic and/or allergic reactions to the penicillin itself.