INTRAPERITONEAL ADMINISTRATION OF SUCCINYLSULFATHIAZOLE AND PHTHALYLSULFATHIAZOLE

Abstract

SHORTLY after the introduction of the sulfonamide drugs as antibiotics, they were used intraperitoneally as a prophylaxis against peritonitis. Innumerable reports indicated that they were effective, but most surgeons abandoned their intraperitoneal use when penicillin was made available, because it appeared to be more effective than the sulfonamide compounds. Of these two drugs penicillin appears definitely to be more helpful against colon bacilli, but neither can be classified as being extremely effective against these organisms. Although streptococci and other pyogenic bacteria are occasionally isolated as causative organisms in peritonitis Escherichia coli is much commoner and even when a mixed infection occurs it is usually the predominant organism. Therefore, in the treatment or prophylaxis of peritonitis there would appear to be a need for an antibiotic agent which would be more effective against Esch. coli. The introduction of the oral use of succinylsulfathiazole in 1941 by Poth and Knotts1and,