The sequelae of serious bacterial infections of the cornea are so catastrophic to the function and structural integrity of the eye that every effort must be made to insure prompt and effective therapy. Though many organisms may incite corneal inflammation, optimum treatment of pseudomonal and staphylococcal infections of the cornea is particularly important because of the fulminating course and extensive destruction often associated with these organisms.
The availability of new antimicrobial agents suitable for the treatment of corneal infection has made imperative the development of techniques for testing and comparison of therapeutic agents. Clinical experience alone cannot be utilized to evaluate treatment measures, because bacterial infections of the human cornea vary greatly in duration and degree of involvement at the moment therapy is instituted. This variation prevents controlled observation. A consistent and reproducible method of experimental animal infection is, therefore, necessary. To be most effective, this method must utilize a