RESULTS IN THE TREATMENT OF SUBACUTE BACTERIAL ENDOCARDITIS

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Abstract
RESULTS in the treatment of subacute bacterial endocarditis with a wide variety of therapeutics measures were uniformly unsuccessful prior to the advent of the newer chemotherapeutic drugs. Methods of therapy in recent years have included the use of arsenicals as employed by Osgood,1 heparin alone,2 sulfonamide compounds in usual3 and massive dosages,4 sulfonamide drugs and heparin,5 sulfonamide drugs and artificial fever induced by typhoid vaccines6 or by physical measures, and penicillin alone and in combination with heparin. Lichtman,7 in reviewing 704 cases (fig. 1), found 1 per cent of spontaneous cures. Of 489 patients treated by sulfonamide chemotherapy, 21 recovered, an incidence of 4 per cent; of 109 heparinized,7 (6.5 per cent) recovered; of 61 patients given artificial fever therapy, 4 (6.5 per cent) recovered; of 45 patients treated with chemotherapy and intravenously injected typhoid vaccine,7 (15.5 per cent) recovered. Heparin was first employed in the