Bacillary Dysentery in Dundee: A Comparative Study of Treatments

Abstract

Clinical and bacteriological results in 200 cases of confirmed bacillary dysentery in children mostly < 10 yrs. of age are given. 50 cases were treated with aperients reduced in dosage as abnormal constituents disappeared from feces. 100 cases were treated with sulfaguanidine, 14-62 g. in 5 days depending upon age. As a control for the constipating action of sulfaguanidine without exerting any effect on the dysentery bacilli, chalk was adm. in 50 cases in double the amount of the corresponding dosage of sulfaguanidine. Pyrexia was not a notable feature. Sulfaguanidine yielded better results than aperients in "clinical cure" and equalled chalk in effectiveness in Flexner and Newcastle infections, and bettered chalk in Sonne III infections. Bacteriologically Shigella dysenteriae was pos. in 30% of the cases after treatment with sulfaguanidine as against 50% after aperients and 52% after chalk. False neg. tests were given by C.R.A. plates but these can be shown pos. by enrichment in C.R.A. broth, particularly in sulfaguanidine-treated cases in which the inhibition of the bacilli by the drug is a factor.