Penicillin Aerosol in the Treatment of Experimental Pneumococcus Pneumonia.

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Exptl. lobar pneumonia was produced in albino rats by intrabronchial inoculation of approx. 60,000 mucin-suspended Type I pneumococci. Penicillin, nebulized from 40,000 U./ml. saline soln., was admin. by inhalation to groups of 10 rats, in a treatment chamber, for 15-min. periods at various intervals following inoculation. 73% of 30 rats survived when treated at 1, 3, 5, and 7 hrs. after infection. 70% of 36 rats survived when treatments were begun 18 hrs. after infection, with septicemia and consolidation of 1 lobe already established. All of 20 rats survived when a combination of early and late treatments was given. Only 7% of 78 untreated animals survived. Inhalations given 1 hr. before inoculation did not prevent death when the pneumococci were suspended in mucin, but saved 95% of the animals when the organisms were suspended in broth. Methods for intrabronchial inoculation and for producing and administering the aerosol are given.