Studies in the home treatment of streptococcal disease. II. A comparison of the efficacy of oral administration of penicillin and intramuscular injection of benzathine penicillin in the treatment of streptococcal pharyngitis.

Abstract

PATIENTS with streptococcal pharyngitis were formerly treated by the Home Medical Service of the Massachusetts Memorial Hospitals with a seven-day course of penicillin by mouth. However, when it became apparent that more than a third of these patients were failing to take the full prescribed course of penicillin, it was decided to change to intramuscular injections of benzathine penicillin.1 There have been many favorable reports in the recent literature concerning the effectiveness of a single injection of benzathine penicillin G for the treatment of infections with the beta-hemolytic streptococcus.2 3 4 A single injection of 600,000 units of this repository penicillin has . . .