Streptomycin in tuberculosis meningitis with reports of forty cases

ABSTRACT

1) 40 out of 125 cases of T.B meningitis given streptomycin therapy are reported2) 20 died and 20 are still living. Of the last group, 10 have had a long remission ranging from 18 months (the longest) to 6 months (the shortest). All of the 20 cases are now symptom free3) The average dose of streptomycin given intramuscularly was 74.2 mg. per kilo per day. The dosage of intrathecal injection ranged from 25 mg. to 200 mg per injection, with an interval ranging from 2 days to 2 weeks4) 5 cases did not receive the drug intracthecally. They are all still living. No definite conclusion can be made whether intrathecal injection together with intramuscular administration is better than intramuscular injection alone. In our limited experience, intramuscular injection alone produces less toxic symptoms than the combined intrathecal and intramuscular injections5) Skin rashes, fever, edema and ataxia were the toxic manifestations of the drug frequently observed by us6) It appears justifiable to conclude that streptomycin can prolong and modify the course of T.B. meningitis. (Summary)