PENICILLIN THERAPY OF SUBACUTE BACTERIAL ENDOCARDITIS: A Study of the End Results in Thirty-Four Cases, with Particular Reference to Dosage, Methods of Administration, Criteria for Judging Adequacy of Treatment and Probable Reasons for Failures

THE STUDIES concerned in this report were begun in July 1943 because of the belief that the previous failure of subacute bacterial endocarditis to respond to penicillin might be due to inadequate dosage and too short a period of treatment for a disease of this character.

To date 38 patients have been treated or are under treatment. The first 34 were selected for this report because the "recoveries" have been observed long enough for us to be reasonably sure of permanency in view of our accumulated experience. Relevant data on the first 20 cases are presented in the accompanying tables (tables 1 and 2). The first 4 cases of recovery (cases 3, 4, 5 and 8) were reported in June 1944.¹

METHOD OF STUDY  Attempt was made to establish the approximate date of onset of the disease and the immediately predisposing illness such as infection of the upper respiratory