The efficacy of oral penicillin in children by blood level determination

Penicillin is still one of the most useful antibiotics in children. Fortunately, allergic reactions to penicillin in children are neither serious nor alarming. As it is still the drug of choice for prolonged prophylaxis and therapy in such infections as recurrent tonsillitis, recurrent oropharyngitis and rheumatic fever, the authors have welcomed the introduction of a new oral penicillin, phenoxymethyl penicillin (Pen-Vee K)Its use in 40 children with respiratory infections or other infections known to be susceptible to penicillin is reported. These studies were supported by cultures and by a new method of determining antibiotic levels using only as little as 2.5 ul of serum per determination. Our results so far are encouraging. (Summary)

Persistent fevers and congenital ectodermal dysplasia

In a 4 year period, from 1957 to 1951, out of 9,900 admissions at the Childrens Memorial Hospital, two cases were diagnosed to have congenital ectodermal dysplasiaThe main nanifestations which led to the diagnosis in these cases were: a history of high fever for no apparent cause, a picture of deficiency of hair and teeth, sparse or deficient eyelashes, eyebrows, and protruded lipsDiagnosis was confirmed by rhinoscopy and skin biopsy alone in the secondThe first case constituted a diagnostic problem of an obscure type of feverAwareness of the condition may thus make it possible as in these two cases, to explain the cause of an undetermined fever. (Summary)