Most of the original experimental and clinical studies on sulfanilamide and its derivatives were concerned with the oral administration of the various drugs and the creation of an optimum level in the blood, thus bathing the infected tissues with these bacteriostatic agents. The beneficial action of these drugs in physiologic concentration has been proved to be bacteriostatic rather than bactericidal, and for this reason they are adjuvants and not curative in themselves.
Local use of the drugs of the sulfanilamide group was started in 1936 but made little progress until cases of toxicity were reported when the drug was taken orally. The unfavorable effects in these cases were due either to hypersensitivity or to overdosage, with high blood levels and serious complications. It was found that sulfanilamide in the form of powders could be used effectively in the treatment of burns, infected wounds and sore throat. Reports from all over