Sulfamylon acetate in the treatment of pseudomonas pyocyanea infection of burns

Abstract

Summary Sulfamylon acetate is a synthetic antiseptic which is particularly active against Pseudomonas pyocyanea . It is free from the disadvantages of the hydrochloride previously used. Seven patients with extensive burns infected with pseudomonas were treated. In six the infection was soon brought under control and these patients recovered. One patient already had septic˦mia when treatment was commenced and he died. Five patients with extensive burns were treated prophylactically and none became infected with pseudomonas. The use of Sulfamylon acetate has reduced the incidence of pseudomonas infection in the ward as a whole. In a controlled trial comparing Sulfamylon with N.C.P. cream there was no significant difference in the incidence of pseudomonas infection. Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus proteus were more frequent in the Sulfamylon group than in the N.C.P. group, but the incidence of significant clinical infection was very low in both groups. It is suggested that the frequency of dressings may have something to do with this result.