EPILEPTOGENIC EFFECTS OF PENICILLIN

Abstract

IN 1945 Johnson and Walker¹ reported the death of a hydrocephalic child into whose cerebral ventricles large amounts of penicillin had been injected for treatment of an infectious condition. In this child status epilepticus had developed after administration of penicillin. This observation led Walker and his associates to carry out experimental studies² in which they demonstrated that penicillin may produce convulsions when brought into contact with cerebral tissue under a variety of conditions and in several species of animals. A similar investigation has been made in our laboratory, and it is the purpose of this paper to present its results. METHODS AND RESULTS Dogs weighing 7 to 12 Kg. were used in all experiments. When operative procedures were involved, they were carried out with the animals under anesthesia induced by intravenous administration of pentobarbital sodium as separate procedures. Administration of penicillin was done on another day and without