Cortisone as an Adjunct to Chloramphenicol in the Treatment of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Abstract

THE efficacy of chloramphenicol and other rickettsiostatic agents in the treatment of Rocky Mountain spotted fever is well documented. However, after institution of specific therapy, the febrile period in most reported series has ranged from 2.5 to 4 days.^{1 2 3 4} The management of severely ill patients who exhibit toxemia, dehydration, hypochloremia, hypoproteinemia and peripheral vascular collapse, characteristic of late cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, remains a difficult problem. The reported effectiveness of adrenal cortical hormones in ameliorating the toxemia of certain bacterial diseases^{5 6 7} prompted a therapeutic trial of cortisone^** combined with a specific antibiotic in this rickettsiosis.Method of Study . . .