Sensitivity to Repository Penicillins

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Abstract
A detailed review is presented of the side-effects observed after the administration of 7300 injections of 4 repository penicillin*: penicillin in oil and beeswax, procaine penicillin in oil with aluminum monostearate, benzathine penicillin and benethamine penicillin, given to 895 clinic patients with venereal disease over an 11 year period. The incidence of "probable" reactions was 2.9% of patients and 0.4% of injections. The incidence of reactions was directly related to the number of injections, the dosage, the duration of treatment and to previous penicillin treatment. Many more reactions were noted in patients treated for syphilis (multiple injections) than in those treated for gonorrhea (single injection). The incidence of reactions increased with age. The reaction rate in 1956 was not greater than that in 1948, if only the "probable" reactions are considered. There was no significant difference in the incidence of "probable" reactions among the 4 different penicillin preparations employed. No unequivocal cases of anaphylactoid reaction were observed.