Treatment of Pneumococcal Pneumonia with Penicillin

ALTHOUGH the sulfonamide drugs are highly effective in the treatment of the pneumococcal pneumonias, serious problems sometimes arise in their administration. In patients with underlying cardiac or renal disease there may be considerable difficulty in maintaining proper fluid balance and in preventing urinary-tract complications while the drugs are being given in adequate doses. Some of the toxic effects of the sulfonamides may not only be dangerous in themselves but may make it necessary to discontinue this therapy before the infection is adequately controlled. Moreover, occasional cases apparently fail to respond to treatment with adequate doses, either because the organism is . . .